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Article
Publication date: 17 August 2012

Marija Đakulovic and Ivan Petrovic

The purpose of this paper is to present a path planning algorithm for a non‐circular shaped mobile robot to autonomously navigate in an unknown area for humanitarian demining. For…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a path planning algorithm for a non‐circular shaped mobile robot to autonomously navigate in an unknown area for humanitarian demining. For that purpose the path planning problem comes down to planning a path from some starting location to a final location in an area so that the robot covers all the reachable positions in the area while following the planned path.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed algorithm uses occupancy grid map representation of the area. Every free cell in the grid map represents a node in the graph being searched to find the complete coverage path. The complete coverage path is followed by the dynamic window algorithm, which includes robot's kinematic and dynamic constraints.

Findings

The proposed algorithm finds the complete coverage path in the graph accounting for the dimensions of the mobile robot, where non‐circular shaped robots can be easily included. The algorithms are implemented under the ROS (robot operating system) and tested in the stage 3D simulator for mobile robots with a randomly generated simulation map of an unknown area.

Research limitations/implications

Some parts of the area close to obstacles are hard to cover due to complex non‐circular shaped robot and non‐perfect path following. The future work should include better path following algorithm.

Practical implications

The proposed algorithm has shown itself as effective and could meet the working demands of humanitarian demining.

Originality/value

The algorithm proposed in the paper enables complete coverage path planning of non‐circular shaped robots in unknown areas.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 39 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2024

Volkan Yasin Pehlivanoglu and Perihan Pehlivanoğlu

The purpose of this paper is to present an efficient path planning method for the multi-UAV system in target coverage problems.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an efficient path planning method for the multi-UAV system in target coverage problems.

Design/methodology/approach

An enhanced particle swarm optimizer (PSO) is used to solve the path planning problem, which concerns the two-dimensional motion of multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a three-dimensional environment. Enhancements include an improved initial swarm generation and prediction strategy for succeeding generations. Initial swarm improvements include the clustering process managed by fuzzy c-means clustering method, ordering procedure handled by ant colony optimizer and design vector change. Local solutions form the foundation of a prediction strategy.

Findings

Numerical simulations show that the proposed method could find near-optimal paths for multi-UAVs effectively.

Practical implications

Simulations indicate the proposed method could be deployed for autonomous multi-UAV systems with target coverage problems.

Originality/value

The proposed method combines intelligent methods in the early phase of PSO, handles obstacle avoidance problems with a unique approach and accelerates the process by adding a prediction strategy.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 96 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2015

Liangzhi Li and Nanfeng Xiao

This paper aims to propose a new view planning method which can be used to calculate the next-best-view (NBV) for multiple manipulators simultaneously and build an automated…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a new view planning method which can be used to calculate the next-best-view (NBV) for multiple manipulators simultaneously and build an automated three-dimensional (3D) object reconstruction system, which is based on the proposed method and can adapt to various industrial applications.

Design/methodology/approach

The entire 3D space is encoded with octree, which marks the voxels with different tags. A set of candidate viewpoints is generated, filtered and evaluated. The viewpoint with the highest score is selected as the NBV.

Findings

The proposed method is able to make the multiple manipulators, equipped with “eye-in-hand” RGB-D sensors, work together to accelerate the object reconstruction process.

Originality/value

Compared to the existed approaches, the proposed method in this paper is fast, computationally efficient, has low memory cost and can be used in actual industrial productions where the multiple different manipulators exist. And, more notably, a new algorithm is designed to speed up the generation and filtration of the candidate viewpoints, which can guarantee both speed and quality.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 May 2020

Haojie Zhang, Yudong Zhang and Tiantian Yang

As wheeled mobile robots find increasing use in outdoor applications, it becomes more important to reduce energy consumption to perform more missions efficiently with limit energy…

Abstract

Purpose

As wheeled mobile robots find increasing use in outdoor applications, it becomes more important to reduce energy consumption to perform more missions efficiently with limit energy supply. The purpose of this paper is to survey the current state-of-the-art on energy-efficient motion planning (EEMP) for wheeled mobile robots.

Design/methodology/approach

The use of wheeled mobile robots has been increased to replace humans in performing risky missions in outdoor applications, and the requirement of motion planning with efficient energy consumption is necessary. This study analyses a lot of motion planning technologies in terms of energy efficiency for wheeled mobile robots from 2000 to present. The dynamic constraints play a key role in EEMP problem, which derive the power model related to energy consumption. The surveyed approaches differ in the used steering mechanisms for wheeled mobile robots, in assumptions on the structure of the environment and in computational requirements. The comparison among different EEMP methods is proposed in optimal, computation time and completeness.

Findings

According to lots of literature in EEMP problem, the research results can be roughly divided into online real-time optimization and offline optimization. The energy consumption is considered during online real-time optimization, which is computationally expensive and time-consuming. The energy consumption model is used to evaluate the candidate motions offline and to obtain the optimal energy consumption motion. Sometimes, this optimization method may cause local minimal problem and even fail to track. Therefore, integrating the energy consumption model into the online motion planning will be the research trend of EEMP problem, and more comprehensive approach to EEMP problem is presented.

Research limitations/implications

EEMP is closely related to robot’s dynamic constraints. This paper mainly surveyed in EEMP problem for differential steered, Ackermann-steered, skid-steered and omni-directional steered robots. Other steering mechanisms of wheeled mobile robots are not discussed in this study.

Practical implications

The survey of performance of various EEMP serves as a reference for robots with different steering mechanisms using in special scenarios.

Originality/value

This paper analyses a lot of motion planning technologies in terms of energy efficiency for wheeled mobile robots from 2000 to present.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 47 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 September 2023

Mingyu Wu, Che Fai Yeong, Eileen Lee Ming Su, William Holderbaum and Chenguang Yang

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the state of the art in energy efficiency for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), focusing on energy sources, consumption…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the state of the art in energy efficiency for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), focusing on energy sources, consumption models, energy-efficient locomotion, hardware energy consumption, optimization in path planning and scheduling methods, and to suggest future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review (SLR) identified 244 papers for analysis. Research articles published from 2010 onwards were searched in databases including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and Scopus using keywords and search criteria related to energy and power management in various robotic systems.

Findings

The review highlights the following key findings: batteries are the primary energy source for AMRs, with advances in battery management systems enhancing efficiency; hybrid models offer superior accuracy and robustness; locomotion contributes over 50% of a mobile robot’s total energy consumption, emphasizing the need for optimized control methods; factors such as the center of mass impact AMR energy consumption; path planning algorithms and scheduling methods are essential for energy optimization, with algorithm choice depending on specific requirements and constraints.

Research limitations/implications

The review concentrates on wheeled robots, excluding walking ones. Future work should improve consumption models, explore optimization methods, examine artificial intelligence/machine learning roles and assess energy efficiency trade-offs.

Originality/value

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of energy efficiency in AMRs, highlighting the key findings from the SLR and suggests future research directions for further advancements in this field.

Details

Robotic Intelligence and Automation, vol. 43 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-6969

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 August 2022

Zelin Wang, Feng Gao, Yue Zhao, Yunpeng Yin and Liangyu Wang

Path planning is a fundamental and significant issue in robotics research, especially for the legged robots, since it is the core technology for robots to complete complex tasks…

Abstract

Purpose

Path planning is a fundamental and significant issue in robotics research, especially for the legged robots, since it is the core technology for robots to complete complex tasks such as autonomous navigation and exploration. The purpose of this paper is to propose a path planning and tracking framework for the autonomous navigation of hexapod robots.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a hexapod robot called Hexapod-Mini is briefly introduced. Then a path planning algorithm based on improved A* is proposed, which introduces the artificial potential field (APF) factor into the evaluation function to generate a safe and collision-free initial path. Then we apply a turning point optimization based on the greedy algorithm, which optimizes the number of turns of the path. And a fast-turning trajectory for hexapod robot is proposed, which is applied to path smoothing. Besides, a model predictive control-based motion tracking controller is used for path tracking.

Findings

The simulation and experiment results show that the framework can generate a safe, fast, collision-free and smooth path, and the author’s Hexapod robot can effectively track the path that demonstrates the performance of the framework.

Originality/value

The work presented a framework for autonomous path planning and tracking of hexapod robots. This new approach overcomes the disadvantages of the traditional path planning approach, such as lack of security, insufficient smoothness and an excessive number of turns. And the proposed method has been successfully applied to an actual hexapod robot.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 50 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 May 2024

Atef Gharbi

The present paper aims to address challenges associated with path planning and obstacle avoidance in mobile robotics. It introduces a pioneering solution called the Bi-directional…

Abstract

Purpose

The present paper aims to address challenges associated with path planning and obstacle avoidance in mobile robotics. It introduces a pioneering solution called the Bi-directional Adaptive Enhanced A* (BAEA*) algorithm, which uses a new bidirectional search strategy. This approach facilitates simultaneous exploration from both the starting and target nodes and improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the algorithm in navigation environments. By using the heuristic knowledge A*, the algorithm avoids unproductive blind exploration, helps to obtain more efficient data for identifying optimal solutions. The simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the BAEA* algorithm in achieving rapid convergence towards an optimal action strategy compared to existing methods.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a careful design focusing on the development and evaluation of the BAEA* for mobile robot path planning, based on the reference [18]. The algorithm has remarkable adaptability to dynamically changing environments and ensures robust navigation in the context of environmental changes. Its scale further enhances its applicability in large and complex environments, which means it has flexibility for various practical applications. The rigorous evaluation of our proposed BAEA* algorithm with the Bidirectional adaptive A* (BAA*) algorithm [18] in five different environments demonstrates the superiority of the BAEA* algorithm. The BAEA* algorithm consistently outperforms BAA*, demonstrating its ability to plan shorter and more stable paths and achieve higher success rates in all environments.

Findings

The paper adopts a careful design focusing on the development and evaluation of the BAEA* for mobile robot path planning, based on the reference [18]. The algorithm has remarkable adaptability to dynamically changing environments and ensures robust navigation in the context of environmental changes. Its scale further enhances its applicability in large and complex environments, which means it has flexibility for various practical applications. The rigorous evaluation of our proposed BAEA* algorithm with the Bi-directional adaptive A* (BAA*) algorithm [18] in five different environments demonstrates the superiority of the BAEA* algorithm.

Research limitations/implications

The rigorous evaluation of our proposed BAEA* algorithm with the BAA* algorithm [18] in five different environments demonstrates the superiority of the BAEA* algorithm. The BAEA* algorithm consistently outperforms BAA*, demonstrating its ability to plan shorter and more stable paths and achieve higher success rates in all environments.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper lies in the introduction of the bidirectional adaptive enhancing A* algorithm (BAEA*) as a novel solution for path planning for mobile robots. This algorithm is characterized by its unique characteristics that distinguish it from others in this field. First, BAEA* uses a unique bidirectional search strategy, allowing to explore the same path from both the initial node and the target node. This approach significantly improves efficiency by quickly converging to the best paths and using A* heuristic knowledge. In particular, the algorithm shows remarkable capabilities to quickly recognize shorter and more stable paths while ensuring higher success rates, which is an important feature for time-sensitive applications. In addition, BAEA* shows adaptability and robustness in dynamically changing environments, not only avoiding obstacles but also respecting various constraints, ensuring safe path selection. Its scale further increases its versatility by seamlessly applying it to extensive and complex environments, making it a versatile solution for a wide range of practical applications. The rigorous assessment against established algorithms such as BAA* consistently shows the superior performance of BAEA* in planning shorter paths, achieving higher success rates in different environments and cementing its importance in complex and challenging environments. This originality marks BAEA* as a pioneering contribution, increasing the efficiency, adaptability and applicability of mobile robot path planning methods.

Details

Applied Computing and Informatics, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2634-1964

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 May 2020

Subhradip Mukherjee, R. Kumar and Siddhanta Borah

The purpose of this work is to propose quad wheel robot with path navigation using an intelligent novel algorithm named as obstacle-avoiding intelligent algorithm (OAIA).

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to propose quad wheel robot with path navigation using an intelligent novel algorithm named as obstacle-avoiding intelligent algorithm (OAIA).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes OAIA algorithm, which is used to minimize the path distance and elapsed time between source and goal.

Findings

The hardware implementation of the Quad Wheel Robot design includes a global positioning system (GPS) module for path navigation. An ultrasonic module (HC SR04) is mainly used as the sensing unit for the system. In the proposed scheme, the GPS locator (L80) is used to obtain the current location of the robot, and the ultrasonic sensor is utilized to avoid the obstacles. An ARM processor serves as the heart of the Quad Wheel Robot.

Practical implications

This paper includes real-time implementation of quad wheel robot for various coordinate values, and the movement of the robot is captured and analysed.

Originality/value

The proposed OAIA is capable of estimating the mobile robot position exactly under ideal circumstances. Simulation and hardware implementation are carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed system.

Details

International Journal of Intelligent Unmanned Systems, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-6427

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 August 2024

Sami Shahid, Ziyang Zhen and Umair Javaid

Multi-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems have succeeded in gaining the attention of researchers in diversified fields, especially in the past decade, owing to their capability…

Abstract

Purpose

Multi-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems have succeeded in gaining the attention of researchers in diversified fields, especially in the past decade, owing to their capability to operate in complex scenarios in a coordinated manner. Path planning for UAV swarms is a challenging task depending upon the environmental conditions, the limitations of fixed-wing UAVs and the swarm constraints. Multiple optimization techniques have been studied for path-planning problems. However, there are local optimum and convergence rate problems. This study aims to propose a multi-UAV cooperative path planning (CoPP) scheme with four-dimensional collision avoidance and simultaneous arrival time.

Design/methodology/approach

A new two-step optimization algorithm is developed based on multiple populations (MP) of disturbance-based modified grey-wolf optimizer (DMGWO). The optimization is performed based on the objective function subject to multi constraints, including collision avoidance, same minimum time of flight and threat and obstacle avoidance in the terrain while meeting the UAV constraints. Comparative simulations using two different algorithms are performed to authenticate the proposed DMGWO.

Findings

The critical features of the proposed MP-DMGWO-based CoPP algorithm are local optimum avoidance and rapid convergence of the solution, i.e. fewer iterations as compared to the comparative algorithms. The efficiency of the proposed method is evident from the comparative simulation results.

Originality/value

A new algorithm DMGWO is proposed for the CoPP problem of UAV swarm. The local best position of each wolf is used in addition to GWO. Besides, a disturbance is introduced in the best solutions for faster convergence and local optimum avoidance. The path optimization is performed based on a newly designed objective function that depends upon multiple constraints.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 August 2024

Sijie Tong, Qingchen Liu, Qichao Ma and Jiahu Qin

This paper aims to address the safety concerns of path-planning algorithms in dynamic obstacle warehouse environments. It proposes a method that uses improved artificial potential…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to address the safety concerns of path-planning algorithms in dynamic obstacle warehouse environments. It proposes a method that uses improved artificial potential fields (IAPF) as expert knowledge for an improved deep deterministic policy gradient (IDDPG) and designs a hierarchical strategy for robots through obstacle detection methods.

Design/methodology/approach

The IAPF algorithm is used as the expert experience of reinforcement learning (RL) to reduce the useless exploration in the early stage of RL training. A strategy-switching mechanism is introduced during training to adapt to various scenarios and overcome challenges related to sparse rewards. Sensor inputs, including light detection and ranging data, are integrated to detect obstacles around waypoints, guiding the robot toward the target point.

Findings

Simulation experiments demonstrate that the integrated use of IDDPG and the IAPF method significantly enhances the safety and training efficiency of path planning for mobile robots.

Originality/value

This method enhances safety by applying safety domain judgment rules to improve APF’s security and designing an obstacle detection method for better danger anticipation. It also boosts training efficiency through using IAPF as expert experience for DDPG and the classification storage and sampling design for the RL experience pool. Additionally, adjustments to the actor network’s update frequency expedite convergence.

Details

Robotic Intelligence and Automation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-6969

Keywords

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