The robust construction of a generalized Voronoi graph (GVG) using partial range data for guide robots

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe research to enable a robust navigation of guide robots in erratic environments with partial sensor information. Design/methodology/approach – Two techniques were developed. One is a robust node discrimination method by using an adaptive sensor matching method. The other is a robot navigation technique with partial sensor information. Findings – A successful navigation was implemented in erratic environments using partial sensor information. Originality/value – First robot navigation is addressed along the generalized Voronoi graph (GVG) with partial sensor information. A solution is also provided for a phantom node detection problem, which is one of the main defects in GVG navigation.