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Environment Modelling for Robot Navigation Using VLSI-Efficient Logarithmic Approximation Method

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Abstract

One of the major drawbacks of the visibility graph-based environment modelling process is its high computational complexity, particularly when the number of obstacles is large. In this paper, a logarithmic approximation based gradient computation method has been proposed to efficiently identify the farthest front vertices. It has been shown that the half-plane methods can be employed by examining only these farthest front vertices to rapidly identify the links that are obstructed by other objects. Novel techniques have been incorporated to substantially reduce the size of the look-up table required to implement the logarithmic approximation method. VLSI efficient architecture was then developed to demonstrate the viability of incorporating the visibility graph-based approach into a high-speed environment modelling process, which is well suited to dynamic robot navigation.

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Lam, S.K., Srikanthan, T. Environment Modelling for Robot Navigation Using VLSI-Efficient Logarithmic Approximation Method. Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems 35, 23–40 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020292101435

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