An advanced autonomous forklift based on a networked control system
Akhilesh Bhat, Natsuki Kai, Takayuki Suzuki, Takahiro Shiroshima, Hiroshi Yoshida · IFAC-PapersOnLine · 2023
In warehouses with multiple static and dynamic entities, a forklift needs to process data from multiple sensor sources and take instantaneous decisions. Implementing such complex algorithms on the forklift requires high computational power resulting in increased power consumption as well as complex designs. Due to rapid advances made in communication technology, networked control systems have become quite popular in such applications. In this paper, we implement such a system architecture for autonomous forklifts in warehouses. The forklift, equipped only with sensors and actuators, transmits sensor data to and receives control commands from a remote controller PC with high computation power over a shared network thus making it both computationally and economically efficient.