On-line real-time path planning of mobile robots in dynamic uncertain environment

A new path planning method for mobile robots in globally unknown environment with moving obstacles is pre- sented. With an autoregressive (AR) model to predict the future positions of moving obstacles, and the predicted position taken as the next position of moving obstacles, a motion path in dynamic uncertain environment is planned by means of an on-line real-time path planning technique based on polar coordinates in which the desirable direction angle is taken into consideration as an optimization index. The effectiveness, feasibility, high stability, perfect performance of obstacle avoidance, real-time and optimization capability are demonstrated by simulation examples.

Real-time UAV path planning based on LSTM network

To address the shortcomings of single-step decision making in the existing deep reinforcement learning based unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)real-time path planning problem,a real-time UAV path planning algorithm based on long shortterm memory(RPP-LSTM)network is proposed,which combines the memory characteristics of recurrent neural network(RNN)and the deep reinforcement learning algorithm.LSTM networks are used in this algorithm as Q-value networks for the deep Q network(DQN)algorithm,which makes the decision of the Q-value network has some memory.Thanks to LSTM network,the Q-value network can use the previous environmental information and action information which effectively avoids the problem of single-step decision considering only the current environment.Besides,the algorithm proposes a hierarchical reward and punishment function for the specific problem of UAV real-time path planning,so that the UAV can more reasonably perform path planning.Simulation verification shows that compared with the traditional feed-forward neural network(FNN)based UAV autonomous path planning algorithm,the RPP-LSTM proposed in this paper can adapt to more complex environments and has significantly improved robustness and accuracy when performing UAV real-time path planning.

Efficient Route Planning for Real-Time Demand-Responsive Transit

Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) responds to the dynamic users’ requests without any fixed routes and timetablesand determines the stop and the start according to the demands. This study explores the optimization of dynamicvehicle scheduling and real-time route planning in urban public transportation systems, with a focus on busservices. It addresses the limitations of current shared mobility routing algorithms, which are primarily designedfor simpler, single origin/destination scenarios, and do not meet the complex demands of bus transit systems. Theresearch introduces an route planning algorithm designed to dynamically accommodate passenger travel needsand enable real-time route modifications. Unlike traditional methods, this algorithm leverages a queue-based,multi-objective heuristic A∗ approach, offering a solution to the inflexibility and limited coverage of suburbanbus routes. Also, this study conducts a comparative analysis of the proposed algorithm with solutions based onGenetic Algorithm (GA) and Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm (ACO), focusing on calculation time, routelength, passenger waiting time, boarding time, and detour rate. The findings demonstrate that the proposedalgorithmsignificantly enhances route planning speed, achieving an 80–100-fold increase in efficiency over existingmodels, thereby supporting the real-time demands of Demand-Responsive Transportation (DRT) systems. Thestudy concludes that this algorithm not only optimizes route planning in bus transit but also presents a scalablesolution for improving urban mobility.

FBCRI Based Real-time Path Planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Unknown Environments with Uncertainty

This paper presents an FBCRI(feedback based compositional rule of inference)based novel path planning method to satisfy the requirements of real-time navigation,smoothness optimization and probabilistic obstacle avoidance.With local path-searching behaviors in regional ranges and global goal-seeking behaviors in holistic ranges,the method infers behavior weights using fuzzy reasoning embedded with feedback,and then coordinates the behaviors to generate new reference waypoints.In view of the deterministic decisions and the uncertain states of a UAV(unmanned air vehicle),chance constraints are adopted to probabilistically guarantee the UAV’s safety at a required level.Simulation results in representative scenes prove that the method is able to rapidly generate convergent paths in obstacle-rich environments,as well as highly improve the path quality with respect to smoothness and probabilistic safety.

Real-Time Indoor Path Planning Using Object Detection for Autonomous Flying Robots

Unknown closed spaces are a big challenge for the navigation of robots since there are no global and pre-defined positioning options in the area.One of the simplest and most efficient algorithms,the artificial potential field algorithm(APF),may provide real-time navigation in those places but fall into local mini-mum in some cases.To overcome this problem and to present alternative escape routes for a robot,possible crossing points in buildings may be detected by using object detection and included in the path planning algorithm.This study utilized a proposed sensor fusion method and an improved object classification method for detecting windows,doors,and stairs in buildings and these objects were classified as valid or invalid for the path planning algorithm.The performance of the approach was evaluated in a simulated environment with a quadrotor that was equipped with camera and laser imaging detection and ranging(LIDAR)sensors to navigate through an unknown closed space and reach a desired goal point.Inclusion of crossing points allows the robot to escape from areas where it is con-gested.The navigation of the robot has been tested in different scenarios based on the proposed path planning algorithm and compared with other improved APF methods.The results showed that the improved APF methods and the methods rein-forced with other path planning algorithms were similar in performance with the proposed method for the same goals in the same room.For the goals outside the current room,traditional APF methods were quite unsuccessful in reaching the goals.Even though improved methods were able to reach some outside targets,the proposed method gave approximately 17%better results than the most success-ful example in achieving targets outside the current room.The proposed method can also work in real-time to discover a building and navigate between rooms.

Ant Colony System Algorithm for Real-Time Globally Optimal Path Planning of Mobile Robots

为活动机器人计划的即时全球性最佳的路径的一个新奇方法基于蚂蚁殖民地系统(交流) 被建议算法。这个方法包括三步：第一步正在利用 MAKLINK 图理论建立活动机器人的空间模型，第二步正在利用 Dijkstra 算法发现一条非最优的没有碰撞的路径，并且第三步正在利用 ACS 算法优化非最优的路径的地点以便产生全球性最佳的路径。建议方法是有效的并且能在即时路径被使用活动机器人计划的计算机模拟实验表演的结果。建议方法比与优秀人材模型一起基于基因算法计划方法的路径处于集中速度，答案变化，动态集中行为，和计算效率有更好的性能，这被验证了。

Real-time accurate hand path tracking and joint trajectory planning for industrial robots(Ⅰ)

Previously, researchers raised the accuracy for a robot′s hand to track a specified path in Car-tesian space mainly through increasing the number of knots on the path and the number of the path′s segments, which results in the heavier online computational burden for the robot controller. Aiming at overcoming this drawback, the authors propose a new kind of real-time accurate hand path tracking and joint trajectory planning method. Through selecting some extra knots on the specified hand path by a certain rule and introducing a sinusoidal function to the joint displacement equation of each segment, this method can greatly raise the path tracking accuracy of robot′s hand and does not change the number of the path′s segments. It also does not increase markedly the computational burden of robot controller. The result of simulation indicates that this method is very effective, and has important value in increasing the application of industrial robots.

Application of A* Algorithm for Real-time Path Re-planning of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle Avoiding Underwater Obstacles

This paper describes path re-planning techniques and underwater obstacle avoidance for unmanned surface vehicle(USV) based on multi-beam forward looking sonar(FLS). Near-optimal paths in static and dynamic environments with underwater obstacles are computed using a numerical solution procedure based on an A* algorithm. The USV is modeled with a circular shape in 2 degrees of freedom(surge and yaw). In this paper, two-dimensional(2-D) underwater obstacle avoidance and the robust real-time path re-planning technique for actual USV using multi-beam FLS are developed. Our real-time path re-planning algorithm has been tested to regenerate the optimal path for several updated frames in the field of view of the sonar with a proper update frequency of the FLS. The performance of the proposed method was verified through simulations, and sea experiments. For simulations, the USV model can avoid both a single stationary obstacle, multiple stationary obstacles and moving obstacles with the near-optimal trajectory that are performed both in the vehicle and the world reference frame. For sea experiments, the proposed method for an underwater obstacle avoidance system is implemented with a USV test platform. The actual USV is automatically controlled and succeeded in its real-time avoidance against the stationary undersea obstacle in the field of view of the FLS together with the Global Positioning System(GPS) of the USV.

Real-time accurate hand path tracking and joint trajectory planning for industrial robots(Ⅱ)

Previously, researchers raised the accuracy for a robot′s hand to track a specified path in Cartesian space mainly through increasing the number of knots on the path and the segments of the path. But, this method resulted in the heavier on line computational burden for the robot controller. In this paper, aiming at this drawback, the authors propose a new kind of real time accurate hand path tracking and joint trajectory planning method for robots. Through selecting some extra knots on the specified hand path by a certain rule, which enables the number of knots on each segment to increase from two to four, and through introducing a sinusoidal function and a cosinoidal function to the joint displacement equation of each segment, this method can raise the path tracking accuracy of robot′s hand greatly but does not increase the computational burden of robot controller markedly.

Ground threat prediction-based path planning of unmanned autonomous helicopter using hybrid enhanced artificial bee colony algorithm

Unmanned autonomous helicopter(UAH)path planning problem is an important component of the UAH mission planning system.Aiming to reduce the influence of non-complete ground threat information on UAH path planning,a ground threat prediction-based path planning method is proposed based on artificial bee colony(ABC)algorithm by collaborative thinking strategy.Firstly,a dynamic threat distribution probability model is developed based on the characteristics of typical ground threats.The dynamic no-fly zone of the UAH is simulated and established by calculating the distribution probability of ground threats in real time.Then,a dynamic path planning method for UAH is designed in complex environment based on the real-time prediction of ground threats.By adding the collision warning mechanism to the path planning model,the flight path could be dynamically adjusted according to changing no-fly zones.Furthermore,a hybrid enhanced ABC algorithm is proposed based on collaborative thinking strategy.The proposed algorithm applies the leader-member thinking mechanism to guide the direction of population evolution,and reduces the negative impact of local optimal solutions caused by collaborative learning update strategy,which makes the optimization performance of ABC algorithm more controllable and efficient.Finally,simulation results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed ground threat prediction path planning method.

Optimal search path planning of UUV in battlefeld ambush scene

Aiming at the practical application of Unmanned Underwater Vehicle(UUV)in underwater combat,this paper proposes a battlefield ambush scene with UUV considering ocean current.Firstly,by establishing these mathematical models of ocean current environment,target movement,and sonar detection,the probability calculation methods of single UUV searching target and multiple UUV cooperatively searching target are given respectively.Then,based on the Hybrid Quantum-behaved Particle Swarm Optimization(HQPSO)algorithm,the path with the highest target search probability is found.Finally,through simulation calculations,the influence of different UUV parameters and target parameters on the target search probability is analyzed,and the minimum number of UUVs that need to be deployed to complete the ambush task is demonstrated,and the optimal search path scheme is obtained.The method proposed in this paper provides a theoretical basis for the practical application of UUV in the future combat.

Heuristic Expanding Disconnected Graph:A Rapid Path Planning Method for Mobile Robots

Existing mobile robots mostly use graph search algorithms for path planning,which suffer from relatively low planning efficiency owing to high redundancy and large computational complexity.Due to the limitations of the neighborhood search strategy,the robots could hardly obtain the most optimal global path.A global path planning algorithm,denoted as EDG*,is proposed by expanding nodes using a well-designed expanding disconnected graph operator(EDG)in this paper.Firstly,all obstacles are marked and their corners are located through the map pre-processing.Then,the EDG operator is designed to find points in non-obstruction areas to complete the rapid expansion of disconnected nodes.Finally,the EDG*heuristic iterative algorithm is proposed.It selects the candidate node through a specific valuation function and realizes the node expansion while avoiding collision with a minimum offset.Path planning experiments were conducted in a typical indoor environment and on the public dataset CSM.The result shows that the proposed EDG*reduced the planning time by more than 90%and total length of paths reduced by more than 4.6%.Compared to A*,Dijkstra and JPS,EDG*does not show an exponential explosion effect in map size.The EDG*showed better performance in terms of path smoothness,and collision avoidance.This shows that the EDG*algorithm proposed in this paper can improve the efficiency of path planning and enhance path quality.

A Reverse Path Planning Approach for Enhanced Performance of Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Industrial Manipulators

In the domain of autonomous industrial manipulators,precise positioning and appropriate posture selection in path planning are pivotal for tasks involving obstacle avoidance,such as handling,heat sealing,and stacking.While Multi-Degree-of-Freedom(MDOF)manipulators offer kinematic redundancy,aiding in the derivation of optimal inverse kinematic solutions to meet position and posture requisites,their path planning entails intricate multiobjective optimization,encompassing path,posture,and joint motion optimization.Achieving satisfactory results in practical scenarios remains challenging.In response,this study introduces a novel Reverse Path Planning(RPP)methodology tailored for industrial manipulators.The approach commences by conceptualizing the manipulator’s end-effector as an agent within a reinforcement learning(RL)framework,wherein the state space,action set,and reward function are precisely defined to expedite the search for an initial collision-free path.To enhance convergence speed,the Q-learning algorithm in RL is augmented with Dyna-Q.Additionally,we formulate the cylindrical bounding box of the manipulator based on its Denavit-Hartenberg(DH)parameters and propose a swift collision detection technique.Furthermore,the motion performance of the end-effector is refined through a bidirectional search,and joint weighting coefficients are introduced to mitigate motion in high-power joints.The efficacy of the proposed RPP methodology is rigorously examined through extensive simulations conducted on a six-degree-of-freedom(6-DOF)manipulator encountering two distinct obstacle configurations and target positions.Experimental results substantiate that the RPP method adeptly orchestrates the computation of the shortest collision-free path while adhering to specific posture constraints at the target point.Moreover,itminimizes both posture angle deviations and joint motion,showcasing its prowess in enhancing the operational performance of MDOF industrial manipulators.

A Path Planning Algorithm Based on Improved RRT Sampling Region

For the problem of slow search and tortuous paths in the Rapidly Exploring Random Tree(RRT)algorithm,a feedback-biased sampling RRT,called FS-RRT,is proposedbasedon RRT.Firstly,toimprove the samplingefficiency of RRT to shorten the search time,the search area of the randomtree is restricted to improve the sampling efficiency.Secondly,to obtain better information about obstacles to shorten the path length,a feedback-biased sampling strategy is used instead of the traditional random sampling,the collision of the expanding node with an obstacle generates feedback information so that the next expanding node avoids expanding within a specific angle range.Thirdly,this paper proposes using the inverse optimization strategy to remove redundancy points from the initial path,making the path shorter and more accurate.Finally,to satisfy the smooth operation of the robot in practice,auxiliary points are used to optimize the cubic Bezier curve to avoid path-crossing obstacles when using the Bezier curve optimization.The experimental results demonstrate that,compared to the traditional RRT algorithm,the proposed FS-RRT algorithm performs favorably against mainstream algorithms regarding running time,number of search iterations,and path length.Moreover,the improved algorithm also performs well in a narrow obstacle environment,and its effectiveness is further confirmed by experimental verification.

Path Planning of Multi-Axis Robotic Arm Based on Improved RRT*

An improved RRT∗algorithm,referred to as the AGP-RRT∗algorithm,is proposed to address the problems of poor directionality,long generated paths,and slow convergence speed in multi-axis robotic arm path planning.First,an adaptive biased probabilistic sampling strategy is adopted to dynamically adjust the target deviation threshold and optimize the selection of random sampling points and the direction of generating new nodes in order to reduce the search space and improve the search efficiency.Second,a gravitationally adjustable step size strategy is used to guide the search process and dynamically adjust the step-size to accelerate the search speed of the algorithm.Finally,the planning path is processed by pruning,removing redundant points and path smoothing fitting using cubic B-spline curves to improve the flexibility of the robotic arm.Through the six-axis robotic arm path planning simulation experiments on the MATLAB platform,the results show that the AGP-RRT∗algorithm reduces 87.34%in terms of the average running time and 40.39%in terms of the average path cost;Meanwhile,under two sets of complex environments A and B,the average running time of the AGP-RRT∗algorithm is shortened by 94.56%vs.95.37%,and the average path cost is reduced by 55.28%vs.47.82%,which proves the effectiveness of the AGP-RRT∗algorithm in improving the efficiency of multi-axis robotic arm path planning.

Multi-UAVs Collaborative Path Planning in the Cramped Environment

Due to its flexibility and complementarity, the multiUAVs system is well adapted to complex and cramped workspaces, with great application potential in the search and rescue(SAR) and indoor goods delivery fields. However, safe and effective path planning of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)in the cramped environment is always challenging: conflicts with each other are frequent because of high-density flight paths, collision probability increases because of space constraints, and the search space increases significantly, including time scale, 3D scale and model scale. Thus, this paper proposes a hierarchical collaborative planning framework with a conflict avoidance module at the high level and a path generation module at the low level. The enhanced conflict-base search(ECBS) in our framework is improved to handle the conflicts in the global path planning and avoid the occurrence of local deadlock. And both the collision and kinematic models of UAVs are considered to improve path smoothness and flight safety. Moreover, we specifically designed and published the cramped environment test set containing various unique obstacles to evaluating our framework performance thoroughly. Experiments are carried out relying on Rviz, with multiple flight missions: random, opposite, and staggered, which showed that the proposed method can generate smooth cooperative paths without conflict for at least 60 UAVs in a few minutes.The benchmark and source code are released in https://github.com/inin-xingtian/multi-UAVs-path-planner.

Simulation of unmanned survey path planning in debris flow gully based on GRE-Bat algorithm

Unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)paths in the field directly affect the efficiency and accuracy of payload data collection.Path planning of UAV advancing along river valleys in wild environments is one of the first and most difficult problems faced by unmanned surveys of debris flow valleys.This study proposes a new hybrid bat optimization algorithm,GRE-Bat(Good point set,Reverse learning,Elite Pool-Bat algorithm),for unmanned exploration path planning of debris flow sources in outdoor environments.In the GRE-Bat algorithm,the good point set strategy is adopted to evenly distribute the population,ensure sufficient coverage of the search space,and improve the stability of the convergence accuracy of the algorithm.Subsequently,a reverse learning strategy is introduced to increase the diversity of the population and improve the local stagnation problem of the algorithm.In addition,an Elite pool strategy is added to balance the replacement and learning behaviors of particles within the population based on elimination and local perturbation factors.To demonstrate the effectiveness of the GRE-Bat algorithm,we conducted multiple simulation experiments using benchmark test functions and digital terrain models.Compared to commonly used path planning algorithms such as the Bat Algorithm(BA)and the Improved Sparrow Search Algorithm(ISSA),the GRE-Bat algorithm can converge to the optimal value in different types of test functions and obtains a near-optimal solution after an average of 60 iterations.The GRE-Bat algorithm can obtain higher quality flight routes in the designated environment of unmanned investigation in the debris flow gully basin,demonstrating its potential for practical application.

A digital twins enabled underwater intelligent internet vehicle path planning system via reinforcement learning and edge computing

The Autonomous Underwater Glider(AUG)is a kind of prevailing underwater intelligent internet vehicle and occupies a dominant position in industrial applications,in which path planning is an essential problem.Due to the complexity and variability of the ocean,accurate environment modeling and flexible path planning algorithms are pivotal challenges.The traditional models mainly utilize mathematical functions,which are not complete and reliable.Most existing path planning algorithms depend on the environment and lack flexibility.To overcome these challenges,we propose a path planning system for underwater intelligent internet vehicles.It applies digital twins and sensor data to map the real ocean environment to a virtual digital space,which provides a comprehensive and reliable environment for path simulation.We design a value-based reinforcement learning path planning algorithm and explore the optimal network structure parameters.The path simulation is controlled by a closed-loop model integrated into the terminal vehicle through edge computing.The integration of state input enriches the learning of neural networks and helps to improve generalization and flexibility.The task-related reward function promotes the rapid convergence of the training.The experimental results prove that our reinforcement learning based path planning algorithm has great flexibility and can effectively adapt to a variety of different ocean conditions.

Tower crane path planning based on improved ant colony algorithm

In order to solve the problem of path planning of tower cranes,an improved ant colony algorithm was proposed.Firstly,the tower crane was simplified into a three-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm,and the D-H motion model was established to solve the forward and inverse kinematic equations.Secondly,the traditional ant colony algorithm was improved.The heuristic function was improved by introducing the distance between the optional nodes and the target point into the function.Then the transition probability was improved by introducing the security factor of surrounding points into the transition probability.In addition,the local path chunking strategy was used to optimize the local multi-inflection path and reduce the local redundant inflection points.Finally,according to the position of the hook,the kinematic inversion of the tower crane was carried out,and the variables of each joint were obtained.More specifically,compared with the traditional ant colony algorithm,the simulation results showed that improved ant colony algorithm converged faster,shortened the optimal path length,and optimized the path quality in the simple and complex environment.

Efficient Penetration Testing Path Planning Based on Reinforcement Learning with Episodic Memory

Intelligent penetration testing is of great significance for the improvement of the security of information systems,and the critical issue is the planning of penetration test paths.In view of the difficulty for attackers to obtain complete network information in realistic network scenarios,Reinforcement Learning(RL)is a promising solution to discover the optimal penetration path under incomplete information about the target network.Existing RL-based methods are challenged by the sizeable discrete action space,which leads to difficulties in the convergence.Moreover,most methods still rely on experts’knowledge.To address these issues,this paper proposes a penetration path planning method based on reinforcement learning with episodic memory.First,the penetration testing problem is formally described in terms of reinforcement learning.To speed up the training process without specific prior knowledge,the proposed algorithm introduces episodic memory to store experienced advantageous strategies for the first time.Furthermore,the method offers an exploration strategy based on episodic memory to guide the agents in learning.The design makes full use of historical experience to achieve the purpose of reducing blind exploration and improving planning efficiency.Ultimately,comparison experiments are carried out with the existing RL-based methods.The results reveal that the proposed method has better convergence performance.The running time is reduced by more than 20%.