Mobile Robot Dynamics: Chaos in Reactive Control Architectures

This paper considers the possible limits of reactive control architectures for autonomous robots, in terms of their non-linear dynamics. This validates work [Gat 94] which has suggested that such systems can manifest chaotic dynamics in their response to unstructured environments. Our work has involved two parallel activities, the first being research and development of two B12 robots, which use a Behaviour Synthesis Architecture, (B.S.A) for reactive control, [Barnes et al 93], while the second has been studies of this behavioural control using a dynamic simulator of the B.S.A system, [Eustace 94]. Results from the simulation are presented which appear to confirm Gat’s hypothesis that autonomous robots can display sensitivity to initial conditions, and which display a fractal structure in the system dynamics. From these results we offer several conclusions regarding the control of autonomous robots.