Continuous smooth path execution for an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV)

A method for converting a series of line segments generated by a high-level path planner for an AGV to a combination of continuous smooth curves and straight line paths is presented. Ideally, the straight line path segments should be connected by circular arcs. The AGV's angular velocity along the straight paths is zero and will not smoothly connect the angular velocity moments required to traverse the circular arcs. Therefore, a transition curve (clothoid) needs to be generated to smoothly connect these angular moments. A technique for computing the clothoid transition curves for an AGV to execute is given. The method was implemented on a Macintosh II computer and was used to control a mobile robot.<
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