A low-cost autonomous outdoor robot with stabilized controller and deep-learning integrated GPS navigator under end-to-end implementation

In delivery tasks, outdoor logistic robots are more versatile than those designed for indoor use only. In this study, we developed a low-cost outdoor autonomous mobile robot (LOAMR) with a tracked design, capable of operating effectively in both outdoor and indoor environments. Our LOAMR is meticulously constructed with all the controlling ingredients, requisite sensors, hardware complement, and circuit boards on the self-made robot body. In LOAMR, the harmonic steering controller, named PIC-FOC controller, is self-built by integrating proportional-integral control (PIC) and field-oriented control (FOC). The integrated controller can ensure the movement stability of LOAMR outdoors with the proposed outdoor navigation technology. This technology can perform navigation effectively in various outdoor environments without the time-consuming SLAM creation and mapping mechanism. Finally, the PIC-FOC controller, SiLU-improved Yolov7-tiny object detector, GPS navigator, and ResNet34 walkable-area detector are combined to attain the outdoor march amid the buildings. Meanwhile, the detected RGB image of SiLU-improved Yolov7-tiny is coupled with the depth map of the TOF camera and the GPS-based Google Map contributes to the obstacle avoidance continuously. The self-constructed LOAMR can be considered a highly cost-effective outdoor-conveyance AI apparatus.