Development of complex robotic systems using the behavior-based control architecture iB2C

This paper presents a development methodology for complex robotic systems using the behavior-based control architecture iB2C (integrated Behavior-Based Control). It is shown how architectural principles support several behavior-based mechanisms, e.g. coordination mechanisms, behavior interaction and, hierarchical abstraction. Furthermore, design guidelines and structural patterns are presented which support the design and implementation process. The provided analysis tools and visualization techniques help to manage the complexity of large behavior-based networks. Finally, application examples are presented and a step by step description of constructing a behavior-based control structure for the outdoor robot RAVON is given. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.