Title: An experimental analysis and simulation of Braitenberg vehicles using Lego Ev3 mindstorms

Authors: Pavlos Iliadis; Stathis Amarantidis; George F. Fragulis

Addresses: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, ZEP Campus, Kozani, Greece ' Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, ZEP Campus, Kozani, Greece ' Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, ZEP Campus, Kozani, Greece

Abstract: Braitenberg vehicles (BV) have been used experimentally in robotics for decades with limited empirical understanding. This paper uses well-known mathematical models of the vehicles to analyse possible trajectories of smooth stimulus sources such as light points. This sensorimotor steering control is used to implement a biology-based target approach, target search, or possible obstacle avoidance behaviour. However, analysis of the resulting model shows that complex and unexpected trajectories can also occur with light stimuli. It also demonstrates how controller implementation and vehicle morphology interact to affect vehicle behaviour. This work provides a better understanding of BV, explains experimental results, studies the biomimetic response of BV to moving external light stimuli, and possibly leads the way for applications in teaching in class various biology notions using robotics.

Keywords: Braitenberg vehicles; BV; robotics; mathematical models; sensorimotor control; biomimetics; behaviour analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJENTTM.2025.144545

International Journal of Entertainment Technology and Management, 2025 Vol.2 No.1, pp.1 - 24

Received: 22 Jun 2022
Accepted: 07 Feb 2023
Published online: 19 Feb 2025 *

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