Previous methods for planning clothoid based continuous curvature paths aim at minimizing path length. However, minimal length paths are not always smooth, natural, and drivable. A method of generating clothoid-based trajectories is discussed using constructive polylines. The goal of the motion planner is to create a path for a large car-like vehicle in human driving environments. Thus, the trajectories generated by the motion planner must be smooth, drivable, and natural such that the vehicle can follow the planned path on human roadways. Several examples are shown of trajectories developed for a DARPA Urban Challenge vehicle and a method of testing the motion planner and the vehicle controller is described.

This thesis describes the initial development of the Texas A&M Autonomous Ground Vehicle test platform and waypoint following software, including the associated controller design. The original goal of the team responsible for the development of the vehicle was to enter the DARPA Grand Challenge in October 2005. A 2004 Ford F150 4x4 pickup was chosen as the vehicle platform and was modified with a 6” suspension lift and 35” tires, as well as a commercial drive-by-wire system. The waypoint following software, the design of which is described in this thesis, is written in C and successfully drives the vehicle on a course defined by GPS waypoints at speeds up to 50 mph. It uses various heuristics to determine desired speeds and headings and uses control feedback to guide the vehicle towards these desired states. A vehicle dynamics simulator was also developed for software testing. Ultimately, this software will accept commands from advanced obstacle avoidance software so that the vehicle can navigate in true off-road terrain.

Master`s thesis is focused on mobile robotics and computer vision. There is briefly introduced a library of functions for image processing OpenCV. Then it deals with image processing and navigation of mobile robots using image data. There are described segmentation methods and methods for navigating through feature points.

The main task of this master’s thesis is to design circuits for feedback control of the main drives Minidarpa robot. It contains the description of power-driven mobile robot control theory and the DC motor. The second part deals with the design options of the control module and its mechanical design. The last part of the proposal made cascade speed control with current loop by using optimal module and the symmetric optimum methods.