Autonomous navigation with mobile robot using ultrasonic rangefinders

Abstract

In this thesis, I designed and implemented an autonomous navigation system for a four-wheeled mobile robot with ultrasonic sonar sensors and a National Instruments myRIO real-time controller. LabVIEW code was developed to control the motors with PWM signals based on sensor feedback. A low-pass filter was used to improve the signal to noise ratio since the signals from the ultrasonic sonar sensors were quite noisy. Finally, I developed two basic algorithms to maneuver the mobile robot: the first algorithm uses proportional control to maintain a specific distance from a target in front of the mobile robot; the second also uses proportional control to keep the robot at a specified distance away from a wall to its side as it travels forward.