Geintra

This paper presents a new distributed architecture designed and built in order to execute, among other functions, on-board movement control and path planning of a mobile robot by using Digital Signal Processors (DSP) and NeuronChip® Microcontrollers. Different functions have been asigned to independent processor modules interconected through a Serial Communications Link that uses the LonWorks® Protocol. Each module acts as a ‘node’ in a data network, were commands and control data flow as short messages increasing the system flexibility. High level tasks can be developed by DSP nodes, while low level and communication tasks are carried out by the NeuronChip. An application to Path-planning with Obstacle Avoidance using this architecture is described in detail: a DSP node, using appropriate sensory information, creates a model of the environment detecting obstacles, then it computes a path to follow and executes a full tracking algorithm, including position estimation and velocities commands generation; two NeuronChip nodes are responsible of motor control and state feedback, accepting velocities commands, computing a digital closed loop algorithm and giving back sensed velocities and encoders sampling.