| Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are mobile robots that are generally used for mundane tasks like moving pallets or containers, assembly line processes, sorting, etc. in warehouses and manufacturing facilities. Transbotics, Inc. (see http://www.transbotics.com/) located in Charlotte, North Carolina is a regional company that is a leading manufacturer of AGV for industrial and manufacturing applications. The navigation of the Transbotics AGVs are accomplished by following lines painted on the floor or an infrared (IR) triangulation positioning system. Line followers are vulnerable to detection errors, even in ideal conditions, and IR triangulation positioning systems require fiduciary IR reflective antennas. These navigation systems are strictly limited to indoor use. Outdoor AGV navigation is problematic with the Transbotics AGVs. My research will propose a solution to this obstacle by developing a global positioning system (GPS) navigation system. This positioning system will be designed so that it can be retrofitted to any Transbotics AGV. The retrofitting aspect is important in that the existing Transbotics AGVs will not have to be modified or the AGV parts specification will not have to change. The positioning system will allow the AGVs to operate either indoors or outdoors without the need for lines painted on the floor or fiduciary antennas. The economic advantages of this research to Transbotics are enormous in that they will be able to offer this positioning system to current, past, and future Transbotics' customers as an upgrade to their existing Transbotics AGVs. |
