Capturing an Omnidirectional Evader in Convex Environments using a Differential Drive Robot

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that a differential drive robot with limited turning ability can successfully capture an omnidirectional evader in convex environments, despite the evader's ability to avoid capture indefinitely.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel capture strategy for differential drive robots to successfully capture omnidirectional evaders in convex spaces.

Findings

DDR can capture the evader despite turning constraints

Capture strategy works in convex environments

Both players have equal maximum speeds

Abstract

We study the problem of capturing an Omnidirectional Evader in convex environments using a Differential Drive Robot (DDR). The DDR wins the game if at any time instant it captures (collides with) the evader. The evader wins if it can avoid capture forever. Both players are unit disks with the same maximum (bounded) speed, but the DDR can only change its motion direction at a bounded rate. We show that despite this limitation, the DDR can capture the evader.