Simulation of optical flow and fuzzy based obstacle avoidance system for mobile robots

TL;DR

This paper presents a simulation-based obstacle avoidance system for mobile robots using optical flow and fuzzy logic, inspired by honey bees, demonstrating effective navigation in complex environments.

Contribution

It introduces a novel simulation framework combining VRML and Simulink for testing optical flow and fuzzy logic-based obstacle avoidance in mobile robots.

Findings

Robot successfully navigates complex static environments.

Effective obstacle avoidance in dynamic scenarios.

Fuzzy logic rules influence navigation performance.

Abstract

Honey bees use optical flow to avoid obstacles effectively. In this research work similar methodology was tested on a simulated mobile robot. Simulation framework was based on VRML and Simulink in a 3D world. Optical flow vectors were calculated from a video scene captured by a virtual camera which was used as inputs to a fuzzy logic controller. Fuzzy logic controller decided the locomotion of the robot. Different fuzzy logic rules were evaluated. The robot was able to navigate through complex static and dynamic environments effectively, avoiding obstacles on its path.