Exploring Robot Behavior in Search of a Chemical Source

This work explains the behavior of differential drive mobile robot in tracing the source of a chemical emission. Results are simulation based carried out for an indoor environment with source emitting chemical at varying release rates. Robot is able to navigate by sensing the plume concentration in omnidirectional regions without air flow information. The study is based on robot behavior in pursuit of a chemical source while the environment sampling rate and robot surge distances are intertwined. Changes in surge distances are facilitated by predefining number of steps and different wheel speeds which varies from 0.5v to 2.5v where v is 0.3605 m/s in real scenario. Robot with a predefined wheel speed takes minimum one step and maximum up to six steps after which the environmental conditions change. For a single step and a predefined wheel speed, 100 simulations were performed. There are five different wheel speeds to be tested for a step size hence 500 simulations are recorded. So with different combinations of step size varying from one to six with five different wheel speeds produces 3000 simulations. Results are compiled on the basis of elapsed time, distance covered as well as the success rate of robot if it takes the predefined steps and wheel speed for completion of said task.