CPS 300 - Graduate Seminar
Student Presentations
Mobile Robot Navigation
with Neural Maps
Michail G. Lagoudakis
Department of Computer Science
Duke University
(Center for Advanced Computer Studies)
(University of Southwestern Louisiana)
Motivation
 Autonomous Robots
– Planetary Exploration
– Service Robots
– Inspection Robots
 Biologically-Inspired Robots
– Animal Learning and Behavior
– Neural Network Models
Talk Outline
 Background
– Mobile Robot Navigation
– Neural Maps
 Navigation with Neural Maps
 The Polar Neural Map
 Implementation on a Nomad 200
 Results
 Conclusions
Mobile Robots
RWI B14
Nomad XR4000
RWI B21
Nomad 150
Nomad 200
Mobile Robot Navigation
 Global
– Map-Based
– Deliberative
– Slow
 Local
– Sensory-Based
– Reactive
– Fast
Navigation Subproblems
 What should I remember?
• Cognitive Mapping
 Where am I?
• Localization
 Where should I go?
• Path Planning
 How can I go?
• Motion Control
Animal Navigation
Robot Navigation
Navigation Landscape
Neural Maps
 “A localized neural representation of
signals in the outer world” [Amari]
 Hopfield-type Neural Networks
 Topologically Ordered Units
Neural Map Property
 Amplification through Self-Organization
Neurons
 Non-linear Processing Units
ui (t)  Wi  V(t)  i (t)
 Non-Linear Dynamics
vi (t 1)  (ui (t))
dvi (t)
 (ui (t)) vi (t)
dt
Path Planning with Neural Maps
Network Topology
Path Planning Example 1
Path Planning Example 1
Path Planning Example 1
Path Planning Example 2
Path Planning Example 2
Path Planning Example 2
Problem?
 Global Information?
A “Bad” Idea
A “Good” Idea
The Polar Neural Map
 Represents the local space.
 Resembles the distribution
of sensory data.
 Provides higher resolution
closer to the robot.
 Conventions:
– Inner Ring: Robot Center
– Outer Ring: Target Direction
Example
Example (...continued)
Example (...continued)
Example (...continued)
Boudreaux (Nomad 200)
 Nonholonomic Mobile Base
 Zero Gyro-Radius
 Max Speeds: 24 in/sec, 60 deg/sec
 Diameter: 21 in, Height: 31 in
 Pentium-Based Master PC
 Linux Operating System
 Full Wireless 1.6 Mbps Ethernet
 16 Sonar Ring (6 in - 255 in)
 20 Bump Sensors
System Architecture
Results
Results (…continued)
Results (…continued)
Results (…continued)
Results (…continued)
Results (…continued)
Robot Movie
Enjoy some robotic video footage!
Contributions
 Neural Maps for Fast Path Planning
 The Polar Neural Map
 Implementation on a Real Robot
 A Complete Local Navigation Scheme
Future Work
 On-board Code Execution
 Polar and Logarithmic Map
 Global Navigation
 Neural Map Self-Organization
More Information
 M.Sc. Thesis, Poster
– http://www.cs.duke.edu/~mgl/acadpape.html
 IEEE ICRA ’99 Paper
– Email: mgl@cs.duke.edu
Thank You
The End!
Special thanks to
The Robotics and Automation Lab at USL
Prof. Anthony S. Maida
Prof. Kimon P. Valavanis
Prof. Bill Z. Manaris
©1998 - CPS 300 Inc.