Autonomous Warehouse Robot with Line Following & Obstacle Avoidance

Problem statement

Manual movement of trolleys inside warehouses is slow and increases labor cost; full-scale AGVs are expensive.

Abstract

The project implements a scaled-down autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) for warehouses. The robot follows a line on the floor using IR sensors, stops at marked stations based on RFID or QR codes, and uses ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection. It can simulate carrying bins between shelves and packing stations.

Components required

• 4WD robot chassis with DC motors
• Line sensor array (IR reflectance sensors)
• Ultrasonic obstacle sensor
• Microcontroller (Arduino/STM32)
• RFID/QR code reader (for station ID)
• Motor driver module
• Battery pack

Block diagram

Working

The line sensor array provides position error relative to the track, which the microcontroller uses in a PID or simple control rule to adjust motor speeds and stay on the line. When station markers are detected via RFID/QR, the robot stops and simulates loading/unloading. Ultrasonic sensors continuously check for obstacles; if one is detected within a threshold distance, the robot slows or stops until the path is clear.

Applications

• Automated material handling in warehouses
• Factory floor logistics demos
• Education on AGV and robotics
• Base for more advanced SLAM-based robots