VI

System Integration and Higher Level Control

INTRODUCTION

In this final part, focus is on system integration and higher level control. Developments from Section II (modeling), Section III (perception), Section IV (mobility) and Section V (manipulation) are combined to model and control a mobile manipulator. This part shows how these aspects can be combined to construct a fairly complex system that is able to execute goal-directed behaviors using perception, navigation planning and execution, and manipulation planning and execution. The resulting system embodies components of future robotic systems that will be able to reason about their environment to achieve specified goals, rather than merely repeat stereotyped mechanical motions.