Avoiding detection in a dynamic environment

Remaining elusive while navigating to a goal in a dynamic environment containing an observer requires taking advantage of opportunistic cover as it occurs. A reactive navigation approach is needed that recognizes the utility of environment features in offering protective cover. We present an approach that allows stealthy traverses in unknown environments containing dynamic objects. It is a frontier-based method that allows a robot to follow in the obscuring shadow of objects despite their dynamics, and take advantage of more opportunistic cover if it becomes available. An analysis of our approach in off-line modeling and experiments conducted in simulation and outdoor environments demonstrate its effectiveness in achieving high quality solutions for stealthy navigation.

Authors

• Ashley Tews
• Maja J. Mataric
• Gaurav S. Sukhatme

Keywords

• Navigation
• Vehicle dynamics
• Mobile robots
• Cost function
• Computer science
• Protection
• Analytical models
• Security
• Reconnaissance
• Surveillance
• Opportunistic
• Outdoor Environments
• Simulation Environment
• Dynamic Objects
• Unknown Environment
• Reactive Approach
• Simulation Results
• Path Length
• Simulation Experiments
• Constant Velocity
• Path Planning
• Present Observations
• Sensor Noise
• Static Objects
• Broken Line
• Static Environment
• Safe Zone
• Width Of Zone
• Efficient Path
• Occupancy Grid
• Stationary Periods
• Start Location
• Result Of Noise