Introduction to line following
Before we start building code, let's find out about line-following robot behaviors, where and how systems use them, and the different techniques for doing so.
What is line following?
Some robots are required to stay on specific paths within their tasks. It is simpler for a robot to navigate a line than to plan and map whole rooms or buildings.
In simple terms, line following is being able to follow a marked path autonomously. These can be visual markers, such as blue tape or a white line on a black road. As the robot drives along the line, it will continually be looking for where the line ahead is and correcting its course to follow that line.
In robot competitions, racing on lines is a common challenge, with speed being critical after accuracy.
Usage in industry
By far the most common usage of line-following behavior is in industry. Robots known as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) need to follow set paths for many reasons. These...
