A WebGIS platform for mobile robot navigation developed with free and open source software

Nowadays more and more applications require amobile robot able to operate autonomously in an outdoorenvironment. The accuracy and precision of mapping systems forthe working environment is particularly important for themanagement, control and efficiency of the activity of the mobilerobot. For these reasons, mapping systems must be consistent andefficient, and capable to represent in real-time the surroundings,thus allowing the robot, equipped with a system of autonomousmovement, the exploration of unknown environments. Here wepresent a new Web GIS platform able to track the navigation ofmobile robots on a georeferenced cartographic data and to assignpossible paths or waypoints. The WebGIS platform has beendeveloped using only free and open source software and has beencustomized with useful tools for the management of thenavigation of mobile robots.