High-speed unmanned ground vehicles have important potential applications, including reconnaissance, material transport, and planetary exploration. During high-speed operation, it is important for a vehicle to sense changing terrain conditions, and modify its control strategies to ensure aggressive, yet safe, operation. In this paper, a framework for terrain characterization and identification is briefly described, composed of 1) vision-based classification of upcoming terrain, 2) terrain parameter identification via wheel-terrain interaction analysis, and 3) terrain classification based on auditory wheel-terrain contact signatures. The parameter identification algorithm is presented in detail. The algorithm derives from simplified forms of classical terramechanics equations. An on-line estimator is developed to allow rapid identification of critical terrain parameters. Simulation and experimental results show that the terrain estimation algorithm can accurately and efficiently identify key terrain parameters for sand.

Date Published: 17 July 2002
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 4715, Unmanned Ground Vehicle Technology IV, (17 July 2002); doi: 10.1117/12.474457

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4715:
Unmanned Ground Vehicle Technology IV
Grant R. Gerhart; Chuck M. Shoemaker; Douglas W. Gage, Editor(s)