Automated guided vehicle survey

Abstract

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are vehicles capable of autonomously navigating their environment. AGVs are used for a variety of applications, such as transportation of materials, forklifts, automation of port operations, etc. A variety of localization technologies are used in commercially available AGVs, such as guide wires, magnetic beacons, retroreflective beacons for laser guidance, and more. Localization is also an active research area in the academic community, and new localization technologies have been developed that are yet to be deployed on AGVs. One of the key differences between these navigation technologies is the amount of infrastructure that is required to be built into the environment the AGVs operate in. Some technologies, such as guide wires, require physical wires to be laid along every path that the AGVs will take, while other solutions such as SLAM systems developed in academia don't require any modification of the environment. However, one must also consider the reliability and robustness of these systems if they are to be deployed. In this document, we provide a survey of localization technologies that are currently in use on commercial AGVs, as well as those developed by the research community. Some common applications of AGVs are also outlined. A survey of commercially available AGVs, their applications, and the localization technologies they use is also included.