Wheelchair Secure Navigation with RF Signal Triangulation and Genetic Algorithm Optimization

This chapter describes an approach of secure navigation systems for wheelchairs and mobile robots platforms, using RF signal triangulation and Extended Kalman Filter in conjunction with Genetic Algorithm for indoor trajectory optimization. Initial systems are implemented and tested at virtual environment with conception of supervision and control systems for mobile robots, which are capable of operating and adapting in different environments and conditions. Validation of this environment is made in a nonholonomic mobile robot and in a wheelchair; both used an embedded control rapid prototyping technical for best navigation strategy implementation. ToF (Time-of-Flight) of the RF digital signal interacting with beacons for computational triangulation in the way to provide a pose estimative at bi-dimensional indoor environment, where GPS system is out of range, are depicted. A non-linear filter based on a genetic algorithm as an emerging optimization method to search for optimal positions is described.