From Social Robots to Autonomous Surface Vessels' Navigation

Maritime transportation plays a crucial role in global trade and commerce, but it faces challenges such as increasing demands, safety concerns, and environmental issues. To address these challenges, the development of collision-free autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) has gained significant interest. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the development of an autonomous navigation system for ASVs, focussing on the integration of predictive and reactive strategies. The navigation system is designed to ensure collision-free path planning and navigation in dynamic environments. The experimental results highlight the effectiveness of the hybrid model and its implications for the self-improving system integration (SISSY) problem, where autonomous and legacy systems interact within a shared environment. The research presented in this paper contributes to the advancement of autonomous navigation systems for ASVs, aiming to enhance safety, efficiency, and sustainability in maritime operations.