Mobile Robotics

Scientific Methods in Mobile Robotics

Ulrich Nehmzow

Scientific Methods in Mobile Robotics

Quantitative Analysis of Agent Behaviour

With 116 Figures

123

Ulrich Nehmzow, Dipl Ing, PhD, CEng, MIEE Department of Computer Science University of Essex Colchester CO4 3SQ United Kingdom

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Nehmzow, Ulrich, 1961Scientific methods in mobile robotics : quantitative analysis of agent behaviour. - (Springer series in advanced manufacturing) 1. Mobile robots 2. Robots - Dynamics - Simulation methods I. Title 629.8’932 ISBN-10: 1846280192 Library of Congress Control Number: 2005933051 ISBN-10: 1-84628-019-2 ISBN-13: 978-1-84628-019-1 e-ISBN 1-84628-260-8 Printed on acid-free paper

© Springer-Verlag London Limited 2006 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers. The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may be made. Printed in Germany 987654321 Springer Science+Business Media springeronline.com

S.D.G.

Dedicated to the RobotMODIC group: Steve Billings, Theocharis Kyriacou, Roberto Iglesias Rodr´guez, ı Keith Walker and Hugo Vieira Neto, and...