Proportional navigation guidance for robotic interception of moving objects

Two novel navigation-guidance-based methods are presented for on-line-robotic-interception of fast-maneuvering objects. For the first method, an ideal proportional navigation-guidance (IPNG) technique is used during phase I of the two-phase robot trajectory planning and control strategy. For the second method, an augmented form of the IPNG (AIPNG) technique is suggested for phase I, when a reliable estimation of the acceleration of the target can be provided to the interceptor. Both techniques are modified to reflect the greater mobility of a robotic manipulator over an airborne interceptor. The convergence analyses of both methods are detailed and compared to that of a conventional moving-object tracking method. Computer simulations clearly illustrate the effectiveness of the IPNG-based interception methods over pure tracking-based techniques proposed in the cited literature.