Adaptation of Controllers for Image-Based Homing

Following a study of the existing algorithms for image-based homing, and their strengths and weaknesses, a new, adaptive controller was designed. The controller achieves homing through gradient descent of the RMS surface by modelling C. Elegans chemotaxis with a first-order function. The controller parameters were evolved in a simulated environment, and were then tested and evaluated both in simulation and in the real world. A comparison also took place between this and other, established algorithms. The simulation and real world results indicate that homing through gradient descent does offer some advantages over the traditional homing algorithms. They also demonstrate that the taxis algorithm is a very efficient way to take advantage of the properties of the RMS surface in a known environment, although further research will be necessary before the controller becomes fully applicable.