Applications
of Neural Networks in Mobile Robots Navigation
Professor Virgil Tiponut
Applied Electronic Department,
Electronic and Telecommunications Faculty,
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara,
B-dul Vasile Pârvan 2, 300223 Timişoara,
ROMANIA
E-mail: virgil.tiponut@yahoo.com
Co-Authors:
A. Gacsadi, I. Gavrilut
Abstract: Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and in particular cellular
Neural Networks (CNN) are valuable tools, widely used today in autonomous
mobile robot navigation. Obstacles detection in unknown working environment,
path finding and trajectory planning, mobile robot collectivities
cooperation, are the main applications where ANN and CNN have successfully
proved their huge potential. In the present paper, original results in all
the above mentioned fields will be presented. In the first part of the
paper, a solution using ANN for obstacles detection in unstructured
environment, bioinspired from the echo locator of the bats, is presented.
The rest of the paper is entirely devoted to applications implemented using
CNN. Different methods for path finding to the target and trajectory
planning, for a single robot and mobile robot collectivities, are analyzed
and the obtained results are reported.
Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Prof.
Virgil TIPONUT received the M.Sc. in 1968, in Electrical
Engineering/Computer Science, and the Ph.D. degree in Electronic Engineering
and Telecommunications, in 1981, both at the POLITEHNICA University of
Timisoara, Romania. Since graduation he is with POLITEHNICA University of
Timisoara and curently he is a professor at Electronic and Telecommunication
Faculty, responsable for teaching in embedded systems, smart transducers and
neural networks.
His research interests include bioinspired systems, with application in
mobile and rehabilitation robotics and some closed related areas: smart
transducers, neural networks and fuzzy logic, biomedical engineering,
embedded systems. He has published more than 100 papers in national and
international Journals and Conference Proceedings, authored 10 books and 10
text books, and holds 21 patents. He conducted more than 25 research and
development projects, grants and contracts in the field of embedded systems,
robotics and smart transducers.
Prof. Tiponut has been involved in setting up national and international
conferences as a reviewer and/or member of organizing committee or board of
sections. He was a visiting professor at universities from USA, Germany,
Ireland and Schotland.
He is a member of the IEEE Society (CAS, EMB, RA), WSEAS Society, member of
the Society of Electronic Engineers from Romania and corresponding member of
the Academy of Technical Science from Romania.
