A Taxonomy for Mobile Robots: Types, Applications, Capabilities, Implementations, Requirements, and Challenges
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robotics Article A Taxonomy for Mobile Robots: Types, Applications, Capabilities, Implementations, Requirements, and Challenges Uwe Jahn 1,* , Daniel Heß 1, Merlin Stampa 1 , Andreas Sutorma 2 , Christof Röhrig 1, Peter Schulz 3 and Carsten Wolff 1 1 IDiAL Institute, Dortmund University of Applied Science and Arts, Otto-Hahn-Str. 23, 44227 Dortmund, Germany; [email protected] (D.H.); [email protected] (M.S.); [email protected] (C.R.); [email protected] (C.W.) 2 Faculty of Information Technology, Dortmund University of Applied Science and Arts, Sonnenstraße 96, 44139 Dortmund, Germany; [email protected] 3 Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 20099 Hamburg, Germany; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +49-231-9112-9661 Received: 30 October 2020; Accepted: 11 December 2020; Published: 15 December 2020 Abstract: Mobile robotics is a widespread field of research, whose differentiation from general robotics is often based only on the ability to move. However, mobile robots need unique capabilities, such as the function of navigation. Also, there are limiting factors, such as the typically limited energy, which must be considered when developing a mobile robot. This article deals with the definition of an archetypal robot, which is represented in the form of a taxonomy. Types and fields of application are defined. A systematic literature review is carried out for the definition of typical capabilities and implementations, where reference systems, textbooks, and literature references are considered. Keywords: robotics; mobile robot; taxonomy; requirements; challenges; capabilities; implementations; literature review; survey 1. Introduction Robotics has become a popular research field over recent decades. The digital library IEEE Xplore (IEEE Xplore [1] is a relevant source for systematic literature searches in the field of computer science and engineering. All publications that have been published in connection with the IEEE are searched. The library includes conference, journal, magazine, books, courses and standards publications.) achieves about 240,000 search hits when searching for “robot OR robotics” in the metadata. Approximately 77,000 search hits were found in the search for mobile robots (“mobile AND (robot OR robotics)”). Figure1 shows that the popularity of robotics has been increasing almost constantly over the last ten years. The relevance of mobile robotics in scientific publications, on the other hand, remained almost constant between 2009 and 2016, and has been increasing rapidly every year since then. On the one hand, this shows that the research area mobile robotics is more relevant than ever before and on the other hand that there are more and more solutions and research results in this area in the form of publications. Robotics 2020, 9, 109; doi:10.3390/robotics9040109 www.mdpi.com/journal/robotics Robotics 2020, 9, 109 2 of 24 Robotics 2020, 0, 5 2 of 24 20, 000 robot OR robotics mobile AND (robot OR robotics) 15, 000 of hits 10, 000 number 5000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 year FigureFigure1. 1. DevelopmentDevelopment of of search search hits hits for for roboticsrobotics andand mobilemobile robotics robotics (All(All search search queries queries have have been been executedexecuted in in IEEE IEEE Xplore Xplore in in August August 2020.) 2020.) TheThe group group of of mobile mobile robots robots that that can can move move through through its its environment, environment, is is a a carrier carrier for for many many researchresearch topics topics within within robotics, robotics, e.g., e.g., navigation navigation or or autonomy. autonomy. Often Often researchers researchers reference reference to tothe the mobilemobile robot. robot. This This article article discussed discussed how how a atypical typicalmobile mobile robot robot could could be be described described by by answering answering thethe following following questions: questions: What What are are the the capabilities capabilities of of a a typical typical mobile mobile robot? robot? What What technologies technologies are are topicallytopically used used to to implement implement its its capabilities? capabilities? What What requirements requirements and and challenges challenges result result from from these these capabilitiescapabilities and and implementations? implementations? ThisThis research’s research’s primary primary goal goal is is to to define define a a taxonomy taxonomy of of mobile mobile robots robots that that describes describes the the classes, classes, applications,applications, capabilities, capabilities, and and implementations implementations of of a a typical typical mobile mobile robot. robot. The The definition definition of of a a taxonomy taxonomy waswas initially initially invented invented with with biology. biology. A A taxonomy taxonomy describes describes a a method method to to classify classify objects. objects. A A taxonomy taxonomy is is oftenoften used used to to put put individual individual cases cases into into a a unified unified and and more more generic generic context context to to handle handle those those cases cases with with standardstandard methods. methods. With With the the creation creation of of a a taxonomy, taxonomy, structures structures are are established established in in which which an an object object or or structurestructure can can be be sorted. sorted. This This research research uses uses taxonomy taxonomy to to define define an an archetypal archetypal mobile mobile robot, robot, whereas whereas the the indicationindication "archetypal" “archetypal” means means a a generally generally valid valid definition definition of of a a device, device, here here the the archetypal archetypal definition definition of of aa mobile mobile robot. robot. TheThe taxonomy taxonomy is is mostly mostly based based on on a a systematic systematic literature literature review, review, which which is is shown shown in in Section Section22,, includingincluding the the state state of of the the art art of of taxonomies taxonomies for for mobile mobile robots robots in in Section Section 2.22.2.. In In Section Section33 typestypes of of mobilemobile robots, robots, in in Section Section44 applications,applications, in in Section Section55 capabilities,capabilities, and and in in Section Section6 6implementationsimplementations areare analysed. analysed. The The derivation derivation of of the the taxonomy taxonomy is is shown shown in in Section Section7 before this article concludes with SectionSection8.. 2.2. Literature Literature Review Review TheThe basis basis of of the the definition definition of of a a mobile mobile robot robot is is created created by by running running a a systematic systematic literature literature reviewreview[[22,,33]].. The The first first step step in in the the literature literature review review is is the the definition definition of of search search terms. terms. Those Those search search terms terms areare created created by by reviewing reviewing references references of of three three types types of of literature. literature. Those Those references references will will be be described described brieflybriefly in in the the next next sections sections and and will will be be compared compared and and collected collected in in Tables Tables3 3and and4 4.. First, First, books books from from the the fieldfield of of robotics robotics will will be be examined examined in in Section Section 2.12.1.. Then, Then, a a selection selection of of survey survey papers papers will will be be reviewed, reviewed, whichwhich outlines outlines the the state state of of the the art art of of (mobile) (mobile) robotics robotics (see (see Section Section 2.22.2).). Last, Last, other other search search terms terms will will be be searchedsearched by by examining examining some some reference reference systems systems from from mobile mobile robotics robotics (see (see Section Section 2.32.3).). The The relevance relevance of of thethe selected selected references references are are shown shown in in Table Table1,, which which shows shows the the number number of of citations citations with with the the exception exception ofof the the referencereference systems systems wherewhere the the number number of of search search hits hits of of references references using using this this systems systems are are listed. listed. TheThe quantification quantification of of the the relevance relevance is is done done by by evaluating evaluating the the search search hits hits and and number number of of citations citations using using searchsearch engines engines for for scientific scientific references, references, namely namelyGoogleGoogle Scholar Scholar((GoogleGoogle Scholar Scholar[[44]] runs runs its its search search queries queries independentindependent from from the the publisher.) publisher.) and andIEEEIEEE Xplore Xplore.. The The selection selection of of the the survey survey papers papers and and publications publications isis not not only only done done by by pure pure number number of of citations citations and and search search hits. hits. To To minimize minimize the the chance chance to to miss miss new new or or nonnon popular popular research research terms terms within within mobile mobile robotics, robotics, a a mixture mixture of of old old to to new new and and few- few- to to often-cited often-cited Robotics 2020, 9, 109 3 of 24 references are