Hybrid Feedback for Three-dimensional Convex Obstacle Avoidance

We propose a hybrid feedback control scheme for the autonomous robot navigation problem in three-dimensional environments with arbitrarily-shaped convex obstacles. The proposed hybrid control strategy, which consists in switching between the move-to-target mode and the obstacle-avoidance mode, guarantees global asymptotic stability of the target location in the obstacle-free workspace. We also provide a procedure for the implementation of the proposed hybrid controller in a priori unknown environments and validate its effectiveness through simulation results.

Hybrid Feedback for Autonomous Navigation in Environments with Arbitrary Non-Convex Obstacles

We develop an autonomous navigation algorithm for a robot operating in two-dimensional environments containing obstacles, with arbitrary non-convex shapes, which can be in close proximity with each other, as long as there exists at least one safe path connecting the initial and the target location. The proposed navigation approach relies on a hybrid feedback to guarantee global asymptotic stabilization of the robot towards a predefined target location while ensuring the forward invariance of the obstacle-free workspace. The proposed hybrid feedback controller guarantees Zeno-free switching between the move-to-target mode and the obstacle-avoidance mode based on the proximity of the robot with respect to the obstacle-occupied workspace. An instrumental transformation that reshapes (virtually) the non-convex obstacles, in a non-conservative manner, is introduced to facilitate the design of the obstacle-avoidance strategy. Finally, we provide an algorithmic procedure for the sensor-based implementation of the proposed hybrid controller and validate its effectiveness through simulation results.