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Diploma thesis:Microsoft technology for Mobile Robotics ( PDF )
Author:Vrzal Ondřej
Supervisor:Ing. Tomáš Krajník Ph.D.
Examiner:Ing. Pavel Báňský
Keywords:
Abstract:This diploma thesis analyzes the feasibility of Microsoft .NET Micro Framework (NETMF) for a mobile robotics. Evaluated criteria are the ability to process the data from sensors and to control the robot in the real time.

As a robotic platform the intelligent wheelchair system developed at Cybernetics department was used. User can operate this system with low-bandwidth input devices making it possible to control the wheelchair by the people not able to use a conventional input devices. Electric wheelchair was equipped with extra sensors for position estimation, obstacle avoidance and special interface to drive the motors.

The intelligent wheelchair system is composed of the User PC, Control Board and electric wheelchair. User PC servers as interface with user and provides several user interfaces for different modes of wheelchair operation. In the `direct mode' user controls the wheelchair manually similarly to operating the wheelchair with a joystick. In the `limit mode' user sets the distance or the angle the wheelchair should move. Finally in the `indoor mode' user selects the destination on a map and the wheelchair should autonomously reach this destination. User PC sends commands from user to the Control Board that plans all the necessary tasks and executes them. Control Board was programmed with the Tahoe II development kit and served as a testing platform for NETMF.

Real-time control of a mobile robot with the NETMF was tested on the motion planning problem. The position of a the robot was estimated with odometry. To execute commands for di ferent modes of wheelchair operations several motion controllers was implemented. The most important one was the "follow the carrot" controller that controlled the wheelchair along a planned path to the destination selected by a user. To plan the path A* search algorithm and a grid map was used. Obstacles avoidance was achieved by limiting the wheelchair speed based on the distance to the closest obstacle.
Video:VIDEO
Presentation:Presentation
Submited:Jan 2011
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