Page 14 - Autonomous Mobile Robots

Abstract

As technology advances, it has been envisioned that in the very near future,
robotic systems will become part and parcel of our everyday lives. Even at
the current stage of development, semi-autonomous or fully automated robots
are already indispensable in a staggering number of applications. To bring
forth a generation of truly autonomous and intelligent robotic systems that will
meld effortlessly into the human society involves research and development on
several levels, from robot perception, to control, to abstract reasoning.
This book tries for the first time to provide a comprehensive treatment
of autonomous mobile systems, ranging from fundamental technical issues to
practical system integration and applications. The chapters are written by some
of the leading researchers and practitioners working in this field today. Readers
will be presented with a coherent picture of autonomous mobile systems at the
systems level, and will also gain a better understanding of the technological
and theoretical aspects involved within each module that composes the overall
system. Five distinct parts of the book, each consisting of several chapters,
emphasize the different aspects of autonomous mobile systems, starting from
sensors and control, and gradually moving up the cognitive ladder to planning
and decision making, finally ending with the integration of the four modules in
application case studies of autonomous systems.
This book is primarily intended for researchers, engineers, and graduate
students involved in all aspects of autonomous mobile robot systems design
and development. Undergraduate students may also find the book useful, as a
complementary reading, in providing a general outlook of the various issues
and levels involved in autonomous robotic system design.

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© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

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