Autonomous Indoor Delivery Robot
Active
Overview
Manual delivery of documents and small items inside large office environments such as universities, banks, hospitals, and corporate offices is time-consuming, costly, and prone to confidentiality risks. With the rapid growth of organized office infrastructures in Bangladesh, there is a clear demand for automated, secure, and efficient internal logistics solutions.
This project focuses on the design and development of an Autonomous Indoor Delivery Robot capable of navigating complex indoor environments and delivering documents or packages with minimal human intervention. The system integrates autonomous navigation, perception, hardware–software co-design, and a web-based control interface to ensure reliable operation in real-world office settings.
Building on a validated proof-of-concept prototype, the project is now transitioning toward a full-scale, product-ready system, emphasizing robustness, scalability, security, and deployability for industry applications.
Objectives
- Design and develop a fully autonomous indoor delivery robot for organized office environments
- Implement reliable indoor navigation using SLAM, path planning, and obstacle avoidance
- Integrate secure, user-friendly WebApp-based task assignment and monitoring
- Transition from research prototype to an industry-ready product prototype
Methodology
The project follows a modular, ROS2-based development pipeline combining simulation, hardware prototyping, and real-world testing. Navigation and mapping are developed using SLAM techniques (2D and 3D) with sensor fusion from LiDAR, depth cameras, and IMU data. Path planning and motion control leverage classical and learning-based approaches for safe and efficient navigation in dynamic indoor environments.
Simulation is performed using ROS2 and Gazebo, enabling rapid testing and validation before deployment. The physical prototype integrates custom electronics, motor controllers, and embedded computing platforms. A WebApp interface allows users to request deliveries, monitor robot status, and manage tasks securely. Continuous testing in real office environments ensures robustness and practical feasibility.
Current Progress
- Developed and tested a proof-of-concept autonomous delivery robot prototype
- Implemented ROS2-based navigation with 2D/3D mapping and real-world deployment
- Designed and assembled multiple hardware iterations of the robot
- Developed a WebApp for navigation control and task monitoring
- Successfully tested the system in real office environments
Upcoming milestones:
- Full-scale product prototype design and fabrication
- Enhanced perception and safety features
- System optimization for long-term deployment and maintenance
- Industry-oriented pilot deployment and evaluation