Systematic review of mobile robots applications in smart cities with future directions

Abstract

Smart cities can create a connected and efficient urban environment by integrating advanced technologies with mobile robots. Mobile robots play a significant role in various smart city applications, ranging from transportation and logistics to surveillance and maintenance tasks, and have the potential to revolutionize the way people live and work in smart cities. Ensuring the efficient, greener and safe operation of these robots is crucial for the success and sustainability of smart city operations. However, several challenges must be addressed, such as safe autonomous navigation, motion control and security. This systematic literature review explores the current state of knowledge and emerging trends in autonomous motion control of personal and assistive mobile robots from 2015 to 2023, as well as the challenges and opportunities for possible application in smart city environments. In particular, it investigates the navigational approaches for future application of mobile robotic systems in the essential smart city components of personal transportation, assistive technologies and road and highway robots. Additionally, it contributes to the ongoing research about integrating mobile robotics into smart city applications and highlights future research directions. Researchers can incorporate insights from this review into their development plans for industrial integration by designing infrastructure that accommodates and leverages mobile robots for numerous smart city operations, including transportation, waste management and surveillance.