Navigation system for an automatic guided vehicle

Abstract

An automated guided vehicle (AGV) is a robot that could use wires or indicators on the floor to navigate itself in an environment. These AGV's use different types of guidance system depending on the application for which they are intended. Literature indicates that continues development have been done to improve those systems. In this project, the author is developing a cost effective and reliable multi-path following guidance system. It makes use of the NI Robotic Starter kit that is fitted with 4 digital infrared sensors to follow multiple paths made of a black tape on a white surface. The author programmed the AGV using a state machine where the middle 2 sensors are used to follow the line and the outer 2 sensors are used to control which path to follow. The results obtain proved the effectiveness of the developed guidance system as the AGV is effectively able to follow multiple paths while reducing the number of sensors needed to accomplish it.