Theses and Dissertations
Issuing Body
Mississippi State University
Advisor
Gurbuz, Ali
Committee Member
Ball, John E.
Committee Member
Tang, Bo
Date of Degree
12-9-2022
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Open Access
Major
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
James Worth Bagley College of Engineering
Department
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Abstract
Off-road autonomy is a challenging topic that requires robust systems to both understand and navigate complex environments. While on-road autonomy has seen a major expansion in recent years in the consumer space, off-road systems are mostly relegated to niche applications. However, these applications can provide safety and navigation to dangerous areas that are the most suited for autonomy tasks. Traversability analysis is at the core of many of the algorithms employed in these topics. In this thesis, a Clearpath Robotics Jackal vehicle is equipped with a 3D Ouster laser scanner to define and traverse off-road environments. The Mississippi State University Autonomous Vehicle Simulator (MAVS) and the Navigating All Terrains Using Robotic Exploration (NATURE) autonomy stack are used in conjunction with the small-scale vehicle platform to traverse uneven terrain and collect data. Additionally, the NATURE stack is used as a point of comparison between a MAVS simulated and physical Clearpath Robotics Jackal vehicle in testing.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, William Peyton, "Assessment of simulated and real-world autonomy performance with small-scale unmanned ground vehicles" (2022). Theses and Dissertations. 5712.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/5712