KEY POINT FOLLOWING CONTROL ALGORITHM DESIGN FOR THE MOBILE ROBOT

This work deals with design of an algorithm for the mobile robot guidance in the direction of known key point (significant point) in space. VGA camera and computer image processing algorithms are used to find the xy-coordinates of the key point on captured pictures. After manual cross calibration of the Microsoft Kinect VGA and depth sensor an algorithm was created for evaluation the depth information, obtained from the depth sensor, based on found xy-coordinates from VGA camera. The proposed control algorithm uses the theory of fuzzy logic due to continuous control of the output actuating units, and due to easier implementation of process control logic for multiple inputs and outputs of the mobile robot system. The resulting algorithm is able to autonomously control the direction and the speed of the mobile robot and also can maintain the desired distance between the mobile robot and the key point (coloured object). The accuracy of the mobile robot direction guidance to the key point depends on the resolution of the VGA chip and depth camera system, and the type of chassis unit construction has impact too.