Robot Risk-Awareness by Formal Risk Reasoning and Planning | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore

Robot Risk-Awareness by Formal Risk Reasoning and Planning


Abstract:

This letter proposes a formal robot motion risk reasoning framework and develops a risk-aware path planner that minimizes the proposed risk. While robots locomoting in un...Show More

Abstract:

This letter proposes a formal robot motion risk reasoning framework and develops a risk-aware path planner that minimizes the proposed risk. While robots locomoting in unstructured or confined environments face a variety of risk, existing risk only focuses on collision with obstacles. Such risk is currently only addressed in ad hoc manners. Without a formal definition, ill-supported properties, e.g. additive or Markovian, are simply assumed. Relied on an incomplete and inaccurate representation of risk, risk-aware planners use ad hoc risk functions or chance constraints to minimize risk. The former inevitably has low fidelity when modeling risk, while the latter conservatively generates feasible path within a probability bound. Using propositional logic and probability theory, the proposed motion risk reasoning framework is formal. Building uponauniverse of risk elements of interest, three major risk categories, i.e. locale-, action-, and traverse-dependent, are introduced. A risk-aware planner is also developed to plan minimum risk path based on the newly proposed risk framework. Results of the risk reasoning and planning are validated in physical experiments in a real-world unstructured or confined environment. With the proposed fundamental risk reasoning framework, safety of robot locomotion could be explicitly reasoned, quantified, and compared. The risk-aware planner finds safe path in terms of the newly proposed risk framework and enables more risk-aware robot behavior in unstructured or confined environments.
Published in: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters ( Volume: 5, Issue: 2, April 2020)
Page(s): 2856 - 2863
Date of Publication: 17 February 2020

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