Biomimetic centering behavior [mobile robots with panoramic sensors]

A reactive robotic centering behavior based on panoramic vision is presented. It is inspired by the way insects exploit visual information in analogous navigation tasks. By employing a panoramic camera, the development of the centering behavior is simplified both from a theoretical and from an implementation point of view. The proposed method relies on the extraction of primitive visual information from appropriately selected areas of a panoramic visual field and its direct use in the control law. Experimental results from an implementation of this method on a robotic platform demonstrate a centering behavior which can be achieved in real-time and with high accuracy. The proposed technique circumvents the need to address complex problems of 3D structure estimation and the resulting control laws were shown to possess the required stability properties.

From Insects to Robots

Fundamental analogies exist between the behaviors that biological organisms and robots exhibit: mobile robots should be able to perceive the static and dynamic aspects of their environment and modify their behavior accordingly, very much like their biological counterparts. In insects, the centering behavior facilitates safe navigation by maximizing the animal's distance from surrounding obstacles. For the same reason, this type of behavior is important for robots, particularly those operating in man-made, indoor environments with many corridors and narrow passages through which the robot must safely navigate.