Simple path planning system using fuzzy rules and a potential field

This paper proposes a simple path planning system using fuzzy rules and a potential field. As an example, we took the problem of backing up a truck to a loading dock which Nguyen and Widrow originally used. We propose a new hybrid method of fuzzy control rules and a potential field for a vehicle navigation and control in the presence of obstacles. This technique has the following merits: 1) As long as we have the map information, we can control a truck to the goal point. 2) We can consider the operator's technique because of using fuzzy logic for a vehicle control. 3) The control method is very simple. The system can successfully back a truck up to the goal point by the following two ideas: 1) a potential field that peaks at the surface of obstacles and contains no spurious local minima. 2) use of simple fuzzy rules whose number is much less than those used by Kong and Kosko.