SLAM algorithm applied to robotics assistance for navigation in unknown environments

FERNANDO A. AUAT CHHEIN; NATALIA LOPEZ; CARLOS M SORIA; FERNANDO DISCIASCIO; FERNANDO LOBO PEREIRA; RICARDO CARELLI

JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION (JNER)

BIOMED CENTRAL LTD

Año: 2010 p. 1 - 16

1743-0003

The combination of robotic tools with assistance technology determines a slightly explored area of applications and advantages for disability or elder people in their daily tasks. Autonomous motorized wheelchair navigation inside an environment, behaviour based control of orthopaedic arms or user’s preference learning from a friendly interface are some examples of this new field. In this paper, a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm is implemented to allow the environmental learning by a mobile robot while its navigation is governed by electromyographic signals. The entire system is part autonomous and part user-decision dependent (semi-autonomous). The environmental learning executed by the SLAM algorithm and the low level behaviourbased reactions of the mobile robot are robotic autonomous tasks, whereas the mobile robot navigation inside an environment is commanded by a Muscle-Computer Interface (MCI).