Autonomous mobile robot

A mobile robot for autonomously performing reconnaissance, comprising:

• a drive system configured to propel the mobile robot across terrain;
• a range sensor configured to detect a distance between the mobile robot and one or more objects in an environment of the mobile robot;
• a processor communicatively connected to the range sensor and to the drive system, and configured to execute software instructions;
• and
• a memory store communicatively connected to the processor, the memory store having stored thereon a plurality of software instructions configured to be executed by the processor, the software instructions including:
• a mapping routine configured to maintain an occupancy grid map of the environment of the mobile robot,
• a linear feature routine configured to detect one or more linear patterns in the occupancy grid map and to determine a strongest line among the one or more linear patterns, and
• a navigational routine configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in a direction aligned with the strongest line among the one or more linear patterns,
• wherein a location of the mobile robot when the mapping routine begins maintaining the occupancy grid map is designated as an initial location, and
• wherein the navigational routine prevents the drive system from moving the mobile robot farther than 250 meters from the initial location.

A mobile robot reconnaissance system, comprising:

• a mobile robot configured to perform autonomous reconnaissance, including:
• a drive system configured to propel the mobile robot across terrain,
• a range sensor configured to detect a distance between the mobile robot and one or more objects in an environment of the mobile robot,
• a processor communicatively connected to the range sensor and to the drive system, and configured to execute software instructions,
• a memory store communicatively connected to the processor, the memory store having stored thereon a plurality of software instructions configured to be executed by the processor, the software instructions including:
• a mapping routine configured to maintain an occupancy grid map of the environment of the mobile robot,
• a linear feature routine configured to detect one or more linear patterns in the occupancy grid map and to determine a strongest line among the one or more linear patterns, and
• a navigational routine configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in a direction aligned with the strongest line among the one or more linear patterns, and
• a transceiver configured to transmit the occupancy grid map and to receive a mission command;
• and
• a teleoperation console configured to remotely communicate with the mobile robot, the teleoperation console including:
• a display configured to present the occupancy grid map transmitted by the mobile robot to an operator and to present a mission command menu to the operator, the mission command menu including a plurality of visual items each corresponding to at least one of a plurality of robot missions performable by the mobile robot,
• an input unit configured to receive a mission command selection from the operator corresponding to at least one of the robot missions, and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the mission command to the mobile robot corresponding to the mission command selection received by the input unit,
• wherein the robot missions each include a teleoperation mode and an autonomous mode,
• wherein the mobile robot is further configured to communicate with the teleoperation console in the teleoperation mode and to function autonomously in the autonomous mode even without communication with the teleoperation console.