Network-Aware Navigation for Autonomous Robots: QoS Mapping and Trajectory Optimization

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are increasingly utilized in industrial environments to optimize operations and reduce costs. However, their dependence on reliable network connectivity for safe operation, teleoperation, and off-board computing tasks introduces significant challenges in complex industrial environments. This paper presents a novel framework for autonomously generating Quality of Service (QoS) heatmaps across large industrial areas, and leveraging them for QoS-aware navigation. The framework uses the onboard AMR's sensors to measure key network metrics like delay and throughput, which are then mapped to spatial coordinates in order to produce a QoS heatmap of the environment. A navigation algorithm is then designed to integrate such heatmap and dynamically adjust the AMR's trajectory, avoiding areas with poor QoS while ensuring mission-critical objectives are met. Experimental validation in a private 5G testbed demonstrates the framework's ability to enhance AMR navigation reliability, improve operational efficiency, and provide actionable insights into network performance for industrial scenarios. These findings demonstrate the potential of QoS-aware navigation in simplifying and strengthening AMR deployment and reducing development time for AMR control systems, thereby enabling faster adoption and more robust implementation of Industry 4.0 automation.