Build Autonomous Mobile Robot from Scratch using ROS

This book takes readers on a complete journey through the design and development of autonomous mobile robots, starting from the fundamentals and progressing to advanced robotic features in both simulation and real-world hardware implementation. Using ROS (Robot Operating System), readers will learn how to simulate autonomous robots and later translate those simulations into functional physical robots.

The book begins by introducing the essential theoretical foundations required for robotics development, including the history of robotics, mathematics, electronics, mechanical design, 3D modeling and printing, Linux, and programming concepts. As readers progress through the chapters, they will explore robot kinematics, simulation and visualization techniques, Arduino–ROS integration, robot teleoperation, mapping, autonomous navigation, sensor integration, sensor fusion, laser scan matching, web interfaces, and many other advanced topics. Alongside the theoretical explanations, the book also emphasizes practical hardware implementation.

The projects featured in the book start with a simple two-wheeled robot and gradually evolve into sophisticated systems capable of mapping, autonomous navigation, sensor fusion, autodocking, and remote web-based control. By the end of the book, readers will have gained hands-on experience with important robotics algorithms and techniques such as SLAM, localization, path planning, and Kalman filtering, preparing them to design and build their own autonomous robotic systems.

Readers will also learn how to:

• Design and build a customized autonomous robot
• Generate maps using a LiDAR scanner
• Command a robot to navigate to specific locations autonomously
• Control and interact with the robot using mobile applications, joysticks, keyboards, and remote computers
• Monitor robot status through LCD displays, sound notifications, LEDs, and mobile interfaces
• Automate small-object delivery tasks and return the robot to its charging station
• Implement autodocking for autonomous battery charging
• Improve robotic accuracy using sensor fusion techniques
• Monitor and control the robot remotely through a web interface