Autonomous Spiral Motion by a Small-Type Robot on an Obstacle-Available Surface

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Autonomous Systems
• Mobile Robots

Background:

• Limited research exists on autonomous navigation for small mobile robots in confined spaces.
• Robots for surface cleaning (e.g., tables, solar panels) require efficient path coverage strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an autonomous travel method for small mobile robots to cover entire surfaces, including obstacle-laden ones.
• To enable robots to perform tasks like cleaning without human intervention.

Main Methods:

• A spiral motion method was proposed for autonomous surface coverage.
• Obstacle avoidance, path re-acquisition, and edge fall prevention were implemented.
• Robot attitude was controlled using data from multiple small sensors, without relying on encoders.
• Travel distance was measured by tracking travel time.

Main Results:

• The robot successfully achieved autonomous spiral motion across the surface.
• The system demonstrated effective obstacle avoidance and autonomous return to the original path.
• The robot prevented falls from the surface edge during traversal.
• Distance measurement was achieved solely through travel time, without encoders.

Conclusions:

• The developed spiral motion method enables efficient autonomous surface coverage for small mobile robots.
• The attitude-control method and sensor integration allow for robust navigation and obstacle management.
• This research contributes to the advancement of autonomous cleaning and maintenance robots.