Research on outdoor AGV precise navigation based on BDS/INS data fusion

A vision/inertia integrated positioning method using position and orientation matching which can be adopted on intelligent vehicle such as automated guided vehicle (AGV) and mobile robot is proposed in this work. The method is introduced firstly. Landmarks are placed into the navigation field and camera and inertial measurement unit (IMU) are installed on the vehicle. Vision processor calculates the azimuth and position information from the pictures which include artificial landmarks with the known direction and position. Inertial navigation system (INS) calculates the azimuth and position of vehicle in real time and the calculated pixel position of landmark can be computed from the INS output position. Then the needed mathematical models are established and integrated navigation is implemented by Kalman filter with the observation of azimuth and the calculated pixel position of landmark. Navigation errors and IMU errors are estimated and compensated in real time so that high precision navigation results can be got. Finally, simulation and test are performed, respectively. Both simulation and test results prove that this vision/inertia integrated positioning method using position and orientation matching has feasibility and it can achieve centimeter-level autonomic continuous navigation.

This paper presents the design and development of a mecanum wheel-based Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), serving as a test platform for autonomous system research. The study highlights the essential elements of an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) and provides a thorough review of the literature. It explores the information, electrical, and mechanical actuator systems critical to the AGV's functioning. The AGV's navigation system is powered by a Jetson Nano minicomputer, with high-level software development implemented using the Robot Operating System (ROS). The software design focuses on modularity because it facilitates easier changes and maintenance, which is essential for research and rapid testing. The DC motors control subsystem controls AGV mobility by adjusting wheel speed and direction. These motors have incremental encoders that indicate wheel rotation. The Jetson Nano is used in the framework to process data from various sensors and monitor the AGV's performance. Experimental validation was carried out in both static and dynamic environments, where the AGV successfully executed autonomous navigation tasks with an average localization error, motion time, and path deviation. These results demonstrate the system's reliability, accuracy, and potential as a flexible test platform for developing and benchmarking autonomous navigation algorithms in research and educational contexts.

Aiming at the problems of poor flexibility, complicated path maintenance and poor positioning performance in the current guidance technology of AGV, this paper designs and implements a new navigation system of automated guided vehicle (AGV) based on AprilTags2 auxiliary positioning. The system uses the Robot Operating System (ROS) as a platform to develop AGV navigation functions. The navigation system comprises two parts: the hardware and software layers. Firstly, hardware selection is performed after considering the actual requirements, performance, cost, and other factors in the hardware layer. Simultaneously, the AGV chassis and single-steering wheel walking mechanism are built to provide a stable and flexible operating platform for the software layer. Secondly, the software layer design includes two parts, namely the ROS navigation planning end and AprilTags2 detection. The ROS planning navigation end performs the design of four functional modules (i.e., AGV map construction, autonomous positioning, path planning, and path tracking), while the AprilTags2 detection part obtains the visual positioning pose of AGV by setting the AprilTags2 on each site and using the Kinect1 camera to detect. A more accurate AGV pose can be obtained by merging the former pose with the kinematic estimated pose. Finally, the two groups of positioning errors of the system before and after adding the AprilTags2 auxiliary positioning are tested and compared. The experimental results show that the navigation accuracy of the proposed system with AprilTags2 auxiliary positioning is significantly improved.

The Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) is a device that uses various sensor technologies, automation, and multiple control systems. AGVs have many navigation methods, of which the magnetic stripe navigation system is well developed. The magnetic stripe navigation AGV positioning is carried out precisely and at a lower cost level. However, the magnetic stripe is prone to breakage, and the AGV can only travel according to the magnetic stripe and cannot be intelligently avoided or the task changed in real-time by the control system. This paper draws on magnetic stripe navigation tracking principles, using grey-scale sensors for stable path tracking; distance sensors are combined for timely obstacle avoidance; Bluetooth is used to obtain approximate indoor locations for path planning. The navigation system simultaneously combines multi-sensor information for navigation, ultimately enabling the AGV to be quickly positioned accurately along the prescribed path and return to the route in time to avoid obstacles.

This research aims to build mechanical system of Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) and navigation system for AGV. The navigation system consists of RFID reader and rotary encoder. The testing result show that mechanical system of AGV was successfully finished. There is a mechanical problem on drive system of AGV. Each part of navigation system works well according to design. Line sensor can be used for path detection with the given threshold values. Encoder can be used to measure the speed of AGV with the maximum error accuracy less than 2 rpm. This result shows that every part of AGV is ready to run localization and navigation algorithm, even though, it needs to do some improvement on driving parts.

Integration of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) are very practical method to get high precision navigation. GPS/INS data Fusion in navigation has been a research topic for decades. Usually the update time of GPS an INS is different. The update time of GPS is 20HZ, and the time of INS is 100HZ or higher. Since GPS and INS are mainly methods in navigation system. Techniques of fusing GPS and INS data are in high demand in navigation industry. Usually the Karman filter is used to fuse the data from GPS and INS. But the Kalman filter is model-dependent and a priori the model parameters need to be known. In this work, a generic and intelligent approach of GPS and INS data fuse using fuzzy interpolation before Kalman algorithm is proposed. First a simplified interpolation model is introduced in a ordinary GPS and INS data fusion. Second a fuzzy rule-based system is established to fuzzy interpolation with objective fuzzy method. Then the parameters of objective fuzzy system are identified, the best n-rule is determinate and the optimal rule base system is found. Finally this approach is applied on an example for a car GPS and INS data fusion, and the results are calculated with computer system to demonstrate the advantages of this approach.

With the booming development of logistics, manufacturing and warehousing fields, the autonomous navigation and intelligent obstacle avoidance technology of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) has become the focus of scientific research. In this paper, an enhanced deep reinforcement learning (DRL) framework is proposed, aiming to empower AGVs with the ability of autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance in the unknown and variable complex environment. To address the problems of time‐consuming training and limited generalisation ability of traditional DRL, we refine the twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient algorithm by integrating adaptive noise attenuation and dynamic delayed updating, optimising both training efficiency and model robustness. In order to further strengthen the AGV's ability to perceive and respond to changes of a dynamic environment, we introduce a distance‐based obstacle penalty term in the designed composite reward function, which ensures that the AGV is capable of predicting and avoiding obstacles effectively in dynamic scenarios. Experiments indicate that the AGV model trained by this algorithm presents excellent autonomous navigation capability in both static and dynamic environments, with a high task completion rate, stable and reliable operation, which fully proves the high efficiency and robustness of this method and its practical value.

During the past few decades, the presence of global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) such as GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo has facilitated positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) for various outdoor applications. With the rapid increase in the number of orbiting satellites per GNSS, enhancements in the satellite-based augmentation systems (SBASs) such as EGNOS and WAAS, as well as commissioning new GNSS constellations, the PNT capabilities are maximized to reach new frontiers. Additionally, the recent developments in precise point positioning (PPP) and real time kinematic (RTK) algorithms have provided more feasibility to carrier-phase precision positioning solutions up to the third-dimensional localization. With the rapid growth of internet of things (IoT) applications, seamless navigation becomes very crucial for numerous PNT dependent applications especially in sensitive fields such as safety and industrial applications. Throughout the years, GNSSs have maintained sufficiently acceptable performance in PNT, in RTK and PPP applications however GNSS experienced major challenges in some complicated signal environments. In many scenarios, GNSS signal suffers deterioration due to multipath fading and attenuation in densely obscured environments that comprise stout obstructions. Recently, there has been a growing demand e.g. in the autonomous-things domain in adopting reliable systems that accurately estimate position, velocity and time (PVT) observables. Such demand in many applications also facilitates the retrieval of information about the six degrees of freedom (6-DOF - x, y, z, roll, pitch, and heading) movements of the target anchors. Numerous modern applications are regarded as beneficiaries of precise PNT solutions such as the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the automatic guided vehicles (AGV) and the intelligent transportation system (ITS). Hence, multi-sensor fusion technology has become very vital in seamless navigation systems owing to its complementary capabilities to GNSSs. Fusion-based positioning in multi-sensor technology comprises the use of multiple sensors measurements for further refinement in addition to the primary GNSS, which results in high precision and less erroneous localization. Inertial navigation systems (INSs) and their inertial measurement units (IMUs) are the most commonly used technologies for augmenting GNSS in multi-sensor integrated systems. In this article, we survey the most recent literature on multi-sensor GNSS technology for seamless navigation. We provide an overall perspective for the advantages, the challenges and the recent developments of the fusion-based GNSS navigation realm as well as analyze the gap between scientific advances and commercial offerings. INS/GNSS and IMU/GNSS systems have proven to be very reliable in GNSS-denied environments where satellite signal degradation is at its peak, that is why both integrated systems are very abundant in the relevant literature. In addition, the light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems are widely adopted in the literature for its capability to provide 6-DOF to mobile vehicles and autonomous robots. LiDARs are very accurate systems however they are not suitable for low-cost positioning due to the expensive initial costs. Moreover, several other techniques from the radio frequency (RF) spectrum are utilized as multi-sensor systems such as cellular networks, WiFi, ultra-wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth. The cellular-based systems are very suitable for outdoor navigation applications while WiFi-based, UWB-based and Bluetooth-based systems are efficient in indoor positioning systems (IPS). However, to achieve reliable PVT estimations in multi-sensor GNSS navigation, optimal algorithms should be developed to mitigate the estimation errors resulting from non-line-of-sight (NLOS) GNSS situations. Examples of the most commonly used algorithms for trilateration-based positioning are Kalman filters, weighted least square (WLS), particle filters (PF) and many other hybrid algorithms by mixing one or more algorithms together. In this paper, the reviewed articles under study and comparison are presented by highlighting their motivation, the methodology of implementation, the modelling utilized and the performed experiments. Then they are assessed with respect to the published results focusing on achieved accuracy, robustness and overall implementation cost-benefits as performance metrics. Our summarizing survey assesses the most promising, highly ranked and recent articles that comprise insights into the future of GNSS technology with multi-sensor fusion technique.

On the basis of the research for AGV20 container automated guided vehicle (AGV), this paper focuses on analyzing and discussing core technical issues and treatment mode for global positioning system at the aspect of design and application, especially dual close-loop vector control drive of positioning and navigation system and key technology of positioning communication for AGV20 container AGV.

To address the issues of insufficient safety distance and unsmooth paths in AGV path planning for narrow road scenarios, this paper proposes a method that integrates Voronoi-skeleton-based custom layers with traditional cost maps. First, key nodes of the Voronoi skeleton are extracted to generate a custom layer, which is then combined with static, obstacle, and expansion layers to form a new four-layer network cost map. This approach accurately distinguishes obstacle influences and enhances algorithm robustness. The A* algorithm based on this new map guides the automated guided vehicle (AGV) to travel safely along the road center. Second, an improved A* algorithm is employed for global planning to ensure safe navigation. Finally, B-spline smoothing is applied to the global path to enhance the AGV's efficiency and stability in complex environments. The experimental results show that in narrow road scenarios, the proposed algorithm improves AGV path planning safety by 82%, reduces the number of spatial turning points by 55.85%, and shortens planning time by 48.98%. Overall, this algorithm significantly enhances the robustness and real-time performance of path planning in narrow roads, ensuring the AGV moves safely in an optimal manner.

The sidewalk is often located in complex environments such as buildings or covered by dense trees. Satellite navigation systems are susceptible to the surrounding environment, resulting in multipath effects, resulting in reduced positioning accuracy. Therefore, the global satellite navigation system (GNSS) and inertial navigation system (INS) based on kalman filter (KF) algorithm are studied, and the navigation algorithm and system model suitable for pedestrians are given. Considering that the pedestrian speed is low, the satellite navigation system obtains the carrier orientation information (heading angle), which also produces a large error. Therefore, the pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) correction method is adopted to make the positional accuracy of the integrated navigation continuously stable. This paper proposes a pedestrian navigation system solution based on a single navigation device.

This paper introduces the mechanism analysis of the large beacon calibration errors how to decrease the navigation performance for the AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle). Generally, when the vehicle using inertial navigation system is performing specific tasks in the water, the navigation error accumulates as time goes on; sometimes the navigation algorithm may fail because of a lot of disturbances, such as outliers, noisy measurement, missed measurement. In order to obtain the better navigation performance for underwater navigation system in real time, the underwater integrated navigation system has been constructed with the underwater acoustic and inertial navigation system. But it is hard to obtain the accurate initial beacon position for the acoustic system in the complex and unknown underwater environment, which will seriously deteriorate the navigation performance. For the sake of obtaining the better navigation performance, we analyze the reasons how the large calibration errors decrease the navigation performance. At last we also provide three feasible methods to online correct the calibration errors. The lake trial data further explain the mechanism analysis.

This paper presents the development of an innovative indoor localization system that leverages a self-rotating inertial sensor for direction estimation and an LSTM-based deep learning model for distance estimation. The primary objective is to enhance the positioning accuracy of two-dimensional moving objects, such as Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs), in environments where GPS is unavailable. Traditional indoor localization methods, including wireless, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), and inertial navigation, each have limitations in terms of accuracy and robustness. The proposed system overcomes these limitations in inertial navigation by combining a unique hardware configuration with deep learning techniques. The system’s effectiveness was validated through various performance evaluations, demonstrating significant improvements in direction and distance estimation accuracy. Specifically, the direction error was reduced from 52° to 5° over a 30-minute evaluation period. Additionally, it was confirmed that the average error in estimating the travel distance for straight and rectangular paths was reduced from over 3% with conventional methods to less than 1%.

With the development of logistics industry, the logistics automated warehouse is ahead in the race toward the direction of multi-user, multi-variety and flexibility automated warehouse. Traditional AGVs (automatic guided vehicle) are difficult to meet the new demands of logistics warehouse. This paper presents a method to extract the deviation of AGV's navigation path based on threshold segmentation of chromatic aberration according to the actual needs. The paper realized high precision path tracking of robot by the path tracking controller adopting the idea of beforehand closed loop control. Finally, the logistics warehouse environment was simulated, and the navigation performance of the designed AGV was fully tested. The experimental results show that the visual navigation AGV features of flexible navigation, high precision and smooth operation and can satisfy the demand of flexible storage.

Automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots for recognition and tracking in civil engineering