A vision-guided parallel parking system for a mobile robot using approximate policy iteration

Reinforcement Learning (RL) methods enable autonomous robots to learn skills from scratch by interacting with the environment. However, reinforcement learning can be very time consuming. This paper focuses on accelerating the reinforcement learning process on a mobile robot in an unknown environment. The presented algorithm is based on approximate policy iteration with a continuous state space and a fixed number of actions. The action-value function is represented by a weighted combination of basis functions. Furthermore, a complexity analysis is provided to show that the implemented approach is guaranteed to converge on an optimal policy with less computational time. A parallel parking task is selected for testing purposes. In the experiments, the efficiency of the proposed approach is demonstrated and analyzed through a set of simulated and real robot experiments, with comparison drawn from two well known algorithms (Dyna-Q and Q-learning)

Design and Simulation of Small Space Parallel Parking Fuzzy Controller

Based on the nonlinearity and time-variation of automatic parking path tracking control system, we use fuzzy control theories and methods to explore the control rules to improve fuzzy controllers and design an automobile steering controller. Then we build the simulation experiment platform of an automobile in Simulink to simulate the reversing settings of parallel parking. This paper adopts the Mamdani control rules; the membership function is the Gauss function. This paper verifies the fuzzy controller's kinematic model and the advantages of fuzzy control rules. Simulation results show that the design of the controller allows the automobile to stop into the parking space smaller than the space obtained by planning path, and automatic parking becomes possible in the parking plot. The control system is characterized by small tracking error, fast response and high reliability

An Improved Approach for Automatic Parallel Parking in Narrow Parking Spaces

In 2014, there are more than 500,000 parking lot collisions, which is a 4% increase compare to 2010. Many cars are being produced every day, so that the parking spots are designed to be smaller, in the meantime, the size of cars has outgrown the size of parking space since the automakers have been making larger vehicles to favor customers\u27 demands for larger interior spaces. As a consequence of smaller parking spaces, the possibility of human operational errors is significantly increased, which subsequently leads to accidents and traffic problems. This paper proposes an automatic parking method for parallel parking, which can be used to park vehicles in a narrower space to reduce the chances of parking lot collisions. It is based on the kinematic model and could be easily combined with other automatic parking approaches such as fuzzy logic and artificial neural network, ultimately making the parallel parking process more effective

INTELLIGENT VEHICLE PARKING SYSTEM WITH WARNING CONTROL

This paper is about a system for assisting a car driver while parking in reverse direction. This system is used in vehicles, and continuously detects the obstacle so as to avoid accidental situation while reversing the vehicle. It makes easy for a driver to park the car in reverse direction. Driver gets immediate warning on LCD display about the obstacle. This system also gives warning to the pedestrians using buzzer while reversing the car. It not only gives warning but also apply automatic brakes when distance between an obstacle and car is below some threshold value. This is a microcontroller based system which is useful in automobiles as an intelligent vehicle assistant for safe driving. Most of the car drivers used the reverse radar or reverse camera to detect the road situation behind the vehicle when it is engaged in reverse gear. As a matter of fact, the pedestrians can virtually know if the vehicle is backing up or not only by seeing the permanent bright reverse lamps. And as there is not much change with the reverse lamp to be seen, therefore their warning function for pedestrians seems to be still insufficient eventually. Not only the warning feature of the reverse lamps is virtually not sufficient but their function will be influenced owing tothe different installation positions. Hence we propose the new technology to overcome this issue

Automatic vehicle parking using an evolution-obtained neural controller

Within the problems that can be solved with autonomous robots, automatic parking is an area of great interest, since it presents a complex scenario where the agent must go through a series of obstacles to reach its goal. Existing solutions usually require some kind of external mark for monitoring or global vision that indicates where the agent is at a given time. This article presents an evolutionary strategy to generate a robotic controller based on a neural network that successfully solves the problem of vehicle parallel parking using only local information. The performance of the tness function is analyzed, focusing not only on the agent reaching its goal, but also on it doing so in a manner that is appropriate for the physics of a vehicle. Additionally, the Player/Stage simulator is broadly discussed, since it is one of the most widely used simulators nowadays in robotics.Presentado en el XII Workshop Agentes y Sistemas Inteligentes (WASI)Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Autonomous Parallel Parking of a Car-Like Mobile Robot with Geometric Path Planning

With the advancement of technology making everything so convenient in these days and ages, autonomous system is very interesting area in the innovating technology. One of the advanced booming technologies for the improvement of human race is autonomous taxi mobile transportation system. It is working well in a district area but it still thrives on making more comfortable. This research will be one point of supporting roles for automobile in parallel parking. An autonomous parallel parking of a car-like mobile robot has been developed in this study. The ultrasonic range sensors are used to detect the working environments and design an s-shaped trajectory between two parallel parked vehicles. One trail maneuver system is used to be moving along the s-shaped trajectory parking path. The s-shaped trajectory is purely based on the geometric approach path planning method. The proposed method is not dependent on the initial pose of the robot but it must be parallel with the parking space. Sensor data are used as the main decision part to change the parking states instance of to find the parking space and adjust robot orientation. Fuzzy filter is applied to stabilize the sensor data and give a quick response input. The working environment is constrained by the wall and sensor arrangement. Visual studio 2013 is used for the user interface window. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through some experimental results with a car-like mobile robot

A unified motion planning method for parking an autonomous vehicle in the presence of irregularly placed obstacles

AbstractThis paper proposes a motion planner for autonomous parking. Compared to the prevailing and emerging studies that handle specific or regular parking scenarios only, our method describes various kinds of parking cases in a unified way regardless they are regular parking scenarios (e.g., parallel, perpendicular or echelon parking cases) or not. First, we formulate a time-optimal dynamic optimization problem with vehicle kinematics, collision-avoidance conditions and mechanical constraints strictly described. Thereafter, an interior-point simultaneous approach is introduced to solve that formulated dynamic optimization problem. Simulation results validate that our proposed motion planning method can tackle general parking scenarios. The tested parking scenarios in this paper can be regarded as benchmark cases to evaluate the efficiency of methods that may emerge in the future. Our established dynamic optimization problem is an open and unified framework, where other complicated user-specific constraints/optimization criteria can be handled without additional difficulty, provided that they are expressed through inequalities/polynomial explicitly. This proposed motion planner may be suitable for the next-generation intelligent parking-garage system

Development of a Hierarchical Driver Aid for Parallel Parking Using Fuzzy Biomimetic Approach

The objective of this article is to present the design method of a hierarchical driver aid which is designed to guide the driver of a vehicle to perform parallel parking maneuver. The development philosophy of the system is based on biomimetic model where the designer of the model does not need to be aware of neither vehicle dynamics nor kinematics. The developed system is based on fuzzy logic and makes its decision based on visual information coming through two low-resolution cameras placed at strategic locations of the vehicle. System evaluates critical parameters and gives real-time, on-the-fly advice to driver based on position of the vehicle and the intended parking space. The approach is very similar to an expert observing the driver and giving interactive advice about what to do to achieve acceptable parking. The article explains design philosophy, development method used for extracting fuzzy rules, implementation and test results of the developed system

History of the Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial

The Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial is a Joint University Research Institute participated by the Spanish National Research Council and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Founded in 1995, its scientists have addressed over the years many research topics spanning from robot kinematics, to computer graphics, automatic control, energy systems, and human-robot interaction, among others. This book, prepared for its 25th anniversary, covers its evolution over the years, and serves as a mean of appreciation to the many students, administrative personnel, research engineers, or scientists that have formed part of it.Postprint (published version