A New Navigation Method for an Automatic Guided Vehicle.

This paper presents a new navigation method for an automatic guided vehicle (AGV). This method utilizes a new navigation and control scheme based on searching points on an arc. Safety measure indices are defined and are generated from the output of a fuzzy neural network which define the actions the AGV is to take when in the presence of obstacles. The proposed algorithm integrates several functions required for automatic guided vehicle navigation and tracking control and it exhibits satisfactory performance when maneuvering in complex environments. The automatic guided vehicle with this navigation control system not only can quickly process environmental information, but also can efficiently avoid dynamic or static obstacles, and reach targets safely and reliably. Extensive simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and correct behavior of this scheme. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]