ABSTRACT
Traditionally, robotic manipulators are usually bolted on the fixed base. The
workspace of such a fixed base manipulator is a limited volume of the oper-
ation space that can be reached by the end-effector of the manipulator. The
workspace is limited and tasks must be carefully structured so that the ma-
nipulator can reach parts to be assembled. This is typically achieved by means
of conveyor belts or other transporting devices. In the recent several decades,
there has been a great deal of interest towards mobile robots [9], [8], [21], [154].
A mobile robot typically refers to a mobile platform or vehicle, equipped with
computing units and various sensors. The study of mobile robots is mostly
concentrated on a central question: how to move from here to there in a struc-
tured/unstructured environment. It involves many issues such as kinematics,
dynamics, motion planning, navigation, control and coordination.