Development of a Trajectory Kernel for Autonomous Vehicles

This robotic application leverages RTI Data-Distribution Service to integrate the different components in a robotic system, such as trajectory generation, control, archiving, OPC components, etc.

Abstract: Future production concepts which are currently developed in the scope of “agile production” will require autonomous working and transportation platforms which dispose of much higher flexibility and robustness than current autonomous guided vehicle (AGV). One the one hand, such flexibility and robustness will only be possible if an optimal functionality and interoperability of the monitoring, planning, control and diagnosis systems can be achieved. On the other hand, a rapid multidimensional trajectory planning is inevitable in order to achieve the required flexibility and robustness.

In the first part of this paper a hierarchical and distributed concept and realization proposal will be presented aiming at optimized functionality and interoperability. Based on the concept and the realization proposal, a system for multidimensional trajectory planning called “trajectory kernel” in a basic and an enhanced form will be presented in the second part. The paper concludes with an outlook to the control of multiple autonomous vehicles applying Max-plus-Algebra. It is important to note that the focus of this paper is not a description of the respective algorithms but an explanation of the framework and the application. Investigations about the industrial application of intelligent systems for monitoring, control and diagnosis (Kleinmann et al. 2009, Stetter & Kleinmann 2011) have shown that frequently not the lack of the optimum algorithms but the missing integration in existing infrastructure and a missing higher level concept are important causes for the low application ratio of such intelligent systems. Consequently, research aiming at optimized integration and searching for high level concepts is obviously as desirable as the search for new and improved algorithms.