Terrain Parameter Estimation and Traversability Assessment for Mobile Robots

The estimation of terrain characteristics is an important missions of Martian exploration rovers. Since only limited resources and human supervision are available, efficient and autonomous method of estimation are required. In this thesis, an on-line estimation method of two important terrain parameters, cohesion and internal friction angle, is developed. The method uses onboard rover sensors and is computationally efficient. Terrain parameter estimation is of scientific interest, and can also be useful in predicting rover mobility on rough-terrain. A method to estimate traversability of a rover on deformable terrain using on-board sensors is presented. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed methods can accurately and efficiently estimate traversability of deformable terrain. Thesis Supervisor: Steven Dubowsky Title: Professor of Mechanical Engineering