Keywords
Citation
Dudek, G. and Jenkin, M. (2001), "Computational Principles of Mobile Robotics", Industrial Robot, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 80-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2001.28.1.80.3
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2001, MCB UP Limited
Computational Principles of Mobile Robotics clearly presents the range of topics covered in this multidisciplinary field. The book comprises three parts, namely: “Locomotion”, “Sensing” and “Reasoning”. Chapter 1 gives an overview of the book and the remaining chapters all finish with further reading and problem sections.
Chapter 2, “Mobile robot hardware”, discusses locomotion – focusing on wheeled and legged robots, offboard communications and processing. Part 2, “Sensing”, contains two chapters which address non‐visual and visual sensor algorithms, respectively. Topics covered include: internal and IR sensors, sonar and radar, satellite‐based positioning, bio‐sensors, image features and their combination, obtaining depth information, and active vision.
The remaining six chapters make up Part 3, “Reasoning”. Chapter 5 addresses “Representing and reasoning about space” and discusses path planning for mobile robots, representing space and the robot, and planning for multiple robots. Artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, hybrid systems, functional decomposition and reactive control are discussed in chapter 6, the “Operating environment”.
Chapters 7 and 8 address “Pose maintenance” and “Maps and related tasks”, respectively. Topics discussed include simple landmark measurement, servo control, correlation‐based localisation, sensorial maps, geometric maps and topological maps.
Chapter 9, “Practical mobile robot tasks”, discusses ways in which robots can be used for assembly and manufacturing, military reconnaissance, survey and inspection, bomb and mine disposal, agriculture and forestry, and as aids for the disabled. The final chapter addresses the “Future of mobile robotics”, and how sensors, control and methods of locomotion may develop.
This book addresses the computational principles of mobile robotics from a practical perspective. It includes numerous photographs and descriptions of existing systems. It is an interesting text which is suitable for researchers and advanced undergraduate and graduate students.