Throughput Measurement Method Using Command Packets for Mobile Robot Teleoperation Via a Wireless Sensor Network

Abstract

We are working to develop an information gathering system comprising a mobile robot and a wireless sensor network (WSN) for use in post-disaster underground environments. In the proposed system, a mobile robot carries wireless sensor nodes and deploys them to construct a WSN in the environment, thus providing a wireless communication infrastructure for mobile robot teleoperation. An operator then controls the mobile robot remotely while monitoring end-to-end communication quality with the mobile robot. Measurement of communication quality on wireless LANs has been widely studied. However, a throughput measurement method has not been developed for assessing the usability of wireless mobile robot teleoperation. In particular, a measurement method is needed that can handle mobile robots as they move around an unknown environment. Accordingly, in this paper, we propose a method for measuring throughput as a measure of communication quality in a WSN for wireless teleoperation of mobile robots. The feasibility of the proposed method was evaluated and verified in in practical field test where an operator remotely controlled mobile robots using a WSN.