Mobile robot path planning based on adaptive bacterial foraging algorithm

The utilization of biomimicry of bacterial foraging strategy was considered to develop an adaptive control strategy for mobile robot, and a bacterial foraging approach was proposed for robot path planning. In the proposed model, robot that mimics the behavior of bacteria is able to determine an optimal collision-free path between a start and a target point in the environment surrounded by obstacles. In the simulation, two test scenarios of static environment with different number obstacles were adopted to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. Simulation results show that the robot which reflects the bacterial foraging behavior can adapt to complex environments in the planned trajectories with both satisfactory accuracy and stability.

Intelligent learning technique based-on fuzzy logic for multi-robot path planning

Soccer robot system is a tremendously challenging intelligent system developed to mimic human soccer competition based on the multi discipline research: robotics, intelligent control, computer vision, etc. robot path planning strategy is a very important subject concerning to the performance and intelligence degree of the multi robot system. Therefore, this paper studies the path planning strategy of soccer system by using fuzzy logic. After setting up two fuzziers and two sorts of fuzzy rules for soccer system, fuzzy logic is applied to workspace partition and path revision. The experiment results show that this technique can well enhance the performance and intelligence degree of the system.

NOVEL APPROACH FOR ROBOT PATH PLANNING BASED ON NUMERICAL ARTIFICIAL POTENTIAL FIELD AND GENETIC ALGORITHM

A novel approach for collision-free path planning of a multiple degree-of-freedom （DOF） articulated robot in a complex environment is proposed. Firstly, based on visual neighbor point （VNP）, a numerical artificial potential field is constructed in Cartesian space, which provides the heuristic information, effective distance to the goal and the motion direction for the motion of the robot joints. Secondly, a genetic algorithm, combined with the heuristic rules, is used in joint space to determine a series of contiguous configurations piecewise from initial configuration until the goal configuration is attained. A simulation shows that the method can not only handle issues on path planning of the articulated robots in environment with complex obstacles, but also improve the efficiency and quality of path planning.

Metaheuristic Optimization for Mobile Robot Navigation Based on Path Planning

Recently,the path planning problem may be considered one of the most interesting researched topics in autonomous robotics.That is why finding a safe path in a cluttered environment for a mobile robot is a significant requisite.A promising route planning for mobile robots on one side saves time and,on the other side,reduces the wear and tear on the robot,saving the capital investment.Numerous route planning methods for the mobile robot have been developed and applied.According to our best knowledge,no method offers an optimum solution among the existing methods.Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO),a numerical optimization method based on the mobility of virtual particles in a multidimensional space,is considered one of the best algorithms for route planning under constantly changing environmental circumstances.Among the researchers,reactive methods are increasingly common and extensively used for the training of neural networks in order to have efficient route planning for mobile robots.This paper proposes a PSO Weighted Grey Wolf Optimization(PSOWGWO)algorithm.PSOWGWO is a hybrid algorithm based on enhanced Grey Wolf Optimization(GWO)with weights.In order to measure the statistical efficiency of the proposed algorithm,Wilcoxon rank-sum and ANOVA statistical tests are applied.The experimental results demonstrate a 25%to 45%enhancement in terms of Area Under Curve(AUC).Moreover,superior performance in terms of data size,path planning time,and accuracy is demonstrated over other state-of-the-art techniques.

Generative Adversarial Network Based Heuristics for Sampling-Based Path Planning

Sampling-based path planning is a popular methodology for robot path planning.With a uniform sampling strategy to explore the state space,a feasible path can be found without the complex geometric modeling of the configuration space.However,the quality of the initial solution is not guaranteed,and the convergence speed to the optimal solution is slow.In this paper,we present a novel image-based path planning algorithm to overcome these limitations.Specifically,a generative adversarial network(GAN)is designed to take the environment map(denoted as RGB image)as the input without other preprocessing works.The output is also an RGB image where the promising region(where a feasible path probably exists)is segmented.This promising region is utilized as a heuristic to achieve non-uniform sampling for the path planner.We conduct a number of simulation experiments to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method,and the results demonstrate that our method performs much better in terms of the quality of the initial solution and the convergence speed to the optimal solution.Furthermore,apart from the environments similar to the training set,our method also works well on the environments which are very different from the training set.

Input torque sensitivity to uncertain parameters in biped robot

Input torque is the main power to maintain bipedal walking of robot, and can be calculated from trajectory planning and dynamic modeling on biped robot. During bipedal walking, the input torque is usually required to be adjusted due to some uncertain parameters arising from objective or subjective factors in the dynamical model to maintain the pre-planned stable trajectory. Here, a planar 5-link biped robot is used as an illustrating example to investigate the effects of uncertain parameters on the input torques. Kine-matic equations of the biped robot are firstly established by the third-order spline curves based on the trajectory planning method, and the dynamic modeling is accomplished by taking both the certain and uncertain parameters into account. Next, several evaluation indices on input torques are intro-duced to perform sensitivity analysis of the input torque with respect to the uncertain parameters. Finally, based on the Monte Carlo simulation, the values of evaluation indices on input torques are presented, from which all the robot param-eters are classified into three categories, i.e., strongly sensi-tive, sensitive and almost insensitive parameters.

Motion planning for redundant prismatic-jointed manipulators in the free-floating mode

This paper investigates the motion planning of redundant free-floating manipulators with seven prismatic joints. On the earth, prismatic-jointed manipulators could only position their end-effectors in a desired way. However, in space, the end-effectors of free-floating manipulators can achieve both the desired orientation and desired position due to the dynamical coupling between manipulator and satellite movement, which is formally expressed by linear and angular momentum conservation laws. In this study, a tractable algorithm particle swarm optimization combined with differential evolution （PSODE） is provided to deal with the motion planning of redundant free-floating prismatic-jointed manipulators, which could avoid the pseudo inverse of the Jacobian matrix. The polynomial functions, as argument in sine functions are used to specify the joint paths. The co- efficients of the polynomials are optimized to achieve the desired end-effector orientation and position, and simulta- neously minimize the unit-mass-kinetic energy using the redundancy. Relevant simulations prove that this method pro- vides satisfactory smooth paths for redundant free-floating prismatic-jointed manipulators. This study could help to recognize the advantages of redundant prismatic-jointed space manipulators.

Robot trajectory planning for autonomous 3D reconstruction of cockpit in aircraft final assembly testing

The trend towards automation and intelligence in aircraft final assembly testing has led to a new demand for autonomous perception of unknown cockpit operation scenes in robotic collaborative airborne system testing.To address this demand,a robotic automated 3D reconstruction cell which enables to autonomously plan the robot end-camera’s trajectory is developed for image acquisition and 3D modeling of the cockpit operation scene.A continuous viewpoint path planning algorithm is proposed that incorporates both 3D reconstruction quality and robot path quality into optimization process.Smoothness metrics for viewpoint position paths and orientation paths are introduced together for the first time in 3D reconstruction.To ensure safe and effective movement,two spatial constraints,Domain of View Admissible Position(DVAP)and Domain of View Admissible Orientation(DVAO),are implemented to account for robot reachability and collision avoidance.By using diffeomorphism mapping,the orientation path is transformed into 3D,consistent with the position path.Both orientation and position paths can be optimized in a unified framework to maximize the gain of reconstruction quality and path smoothness within DVAP and DVAO.The reconstruction cell is capable of automatic data acquisition and fine scene modeling,using the generated robot C-space trajectory.Simulation and physical scene experiments have confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method to achieve highprecision 3D reconstruction while optimizing robot motion quality.

Model-driven path planning for robotic plasma cutting of branch pipe with single Y-groove based on pipe-rotating scheme

The automatic cutting of intersecting pipes is a challenging task in manufacturing.For improved automation and accuracy,this paper proposes a model-driven path planning approach for the robotic plasma cutting of a branch pipe with a single Y-groove.Firstly,it summarizes the intersection forms and introduces a dual-pipe intersection model.Based on this model,the moving three-plane structure(a description unit of the geometric characteristics of the intersecting curve)is constructed,and a geometric model of the branch pipe with a single Y-groove is defined.Secondly,a novel mathematical model for plasma radius and taper compensation is established.Then,the compensation model and groove model are integrated by establishing movable frames.Thirdly,to prevent collisions between the plasma torch and workpiece,the torch height is planned and a branch pipe-rotating scheme is proposed.Through the established models and moving frames,the planned path description of cutting robot is provided in this novel scheme.The accuracy of the proposed method is verified by simulations and robotic cutting experiments.

Robot path planning in globally unknown environments based on rolling windows

In this paper, robot path planning in globally unknown environments is studied. Using the rolling optimization concept in predictive control for reference, a new strategy of path planning for a mobile robot, based on rolling windows, is proposed. The method makes full use of the real-time local environmental information detected by the robot and the on-line path planning is carried on in a rolling style. Optimization and feedback are combined in a reasonable way. The convergence of the planning algorithm is also discussed.

Multi-objective robot motion planning using a particle swarm optimization model

Two new heuristic models are developed for motion planning of point robots in known environments.The first model is a combination of an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm used as a global planner and the probabilistic roadmap (PRM) method acting as a local obstacle avoidance planner.For the PSO component,new improvements are proposed in initial particle generation,the weighting mechanism,and position-and velocity-updating processes.Moreover,two objective functions which aim to minimize the path length and oscillations,govern the robot’s movements towards its goal.The PSO and PRM components are further intertwined by incorporating the best PSO particles into the randomly generated PRM.The second model combines a genetic algorithm component with the PRM method.In this model,new specific selection,mutation,and crossover operators are designed to evolve the population of discrete particles located in continuous space.Thorough comparisons of the developed models with each other,and against the standard PRM method,show the advantages of the PSO method.

Adaptive pass planning and optimization for robotic welding of complex joints

Current industrial robotic welding systems can- not achieve automated solutions for multi-layer multi-pass welding of complex joints due to the presence of non- uniform and irregular welding groove geometries. This paper presents an adaptive pass planning approach for robotic welding of such complex joints. The welding groove is first segmented considering both the variation in groove dimension and the reachability of the robot welding torch. For each welding segment, the welding passes are planned to be in accordance with welding practices, viz., keeping the same number of welding passes in each layer while maintaining consistent welding parameters. An adaptive pass adjustment scheme is developed to address the discrepancies between the simulated results and the actual welding deposition after finishing a few layers of welding. Corresponding robot paths are generated and optimized to ensure minimum joint movement subject to three constraints, viz., reachability, collision-free and singularity avoidance. The proposed approach has been sim- ulated with the arc welding of a Y-type joint found typically in offshore structures.

An Enhanced Equilibrium Optimizer for Solving Optimization Tasks

The equilibrium optimizer(EO)represents a new,physics-inspired metaheuristic optimization approach that draws inspiration from the principles governing the control of volume-based mixing to achieve dynamic mass equilibrium.Despite its innovative foundation,the EO exhibits certain limitations,including imbalances between exploration and exploitation,the tendency to local optima,and the susceptibility to loss of population diversity.To alleviate these drawbacks,this paper introduces an improved EO that adopts three strategies:adaptive inertia weight,Cauchy mutation,and adaptive sine cosine mechanism,called SCEO.Firstly,a new update formula is conceived by incorporating an adaptive inertia weight to reach an appropriate balance between exploration and exploitation.Next,an adaptive sine cosine mechanism is embedded to boost the global exploratory capacity.Finally,the Cauchy mutation is utilized to prevent the loss of population diversity during searching.To validate the efficacy of the proposed SCEO,a comprehensive evaluation is conducted on 15 classical benchmark functions and the CEC2017 test suite.The outcomes are subsequently benchmarked against both the conventional EO,its variants,and other cutting-edge metaheuristic techniques.The comparisons reveal that the SCEO method provides significantly superior results against the standard EO and other competitors.In addition,the developed SCEO is implemented to deal with a mobile robot path planning(MRPP)task,and compared to some classical metaheuristic approaches.The analysis results demonstrate that the SCEO approach provides the best performance and is a prospective tool for MRPP.

Motion Planning for Robots with Topological Dimension Reduction Method

This paper explores the realization of robotic motion planning, especially Findpath problem, which is a basic motion planning problem that arises in the development of robotics. Findpath means: Give the initial and desired final configurations of a robotic arm in 3-dimensionnl space, and give descriptions of the obstacles in the space, determine whether there is a continuous collision-free motion of the robotic arm from one configure- tion to the other and find such a motion if it exists. There are several branches of approach in motion planning area, but in reality the important things are feasibility, efficiency and accuracy of the method. In this paper ac- cording to the concepts of Configuration Space (C-Space) and Rotation Mapping Graph (RMG) discussed in [1], a topological method named Dimension Reduction Method (DRM) for investigating the connectivity of the RMG (or the topologic structure of the RMG )is presented by using topologic technique. Based on this ap- proach the Findpath problem is thus transformed to that of finding a connected way in a finite Characteristic Network (CN). The method has shown great potentiality in practice. Here a simulation system is designed to embody DRM and it is in sight that DRM can he adopted in the first overall planning of real robot sys- tem in the near future.

Spherical robot: A novel robot for exploration in harsh unknown environments

The authors propose a complete software and hardware framework for a novel spherical robot to cope with exploration in harsh and unknown environments.The proposed robot is driven by a heavy pendulum covered by a fully enclosed spherical shell,which is strongly protected,amphibious,anti-overturn and has a long-battery-life.Algorithms for location and perception,planning and motion control are comprehensively designed.On the one hand,the authors fully consider the kinematic model of a spherical robot,propose a positioning algorithm that fuses data from inertial measurement units,motor encoder and Global Navigation Satellite System,improve global path planning algorithm based on Hybrid A*and design an instruction planning controller based on model predictive control(MPC).On the other hand,the dynamic model is built,linear MPC and robust servo linear quadratic regulator algorithm is improved,and a speed controller and a direction controller are designed.In addition,based on the pose and motion charac-teristics of a spherical robot,a visual obstacle perception algorithm and an electronic image stabilisation algorithm are designed.Finally,the authors build physical systems to verify the effectiveness of the above algorithms through experiments.

Adaptive Cockroach Colony Optimization for Rod-Like Robot Navigation

Based on the Cockroach Swarm Optimization （CSO） algorithm, a new Cockroach Colony Optimization （CCO） algorithm is presented and applied to the Robot Path Planning （RPP） problem in this paper. In the CCO algorithm, an improved grid map is used for environment modeling, and 16-geometry and 8-geometry are introduced, respectively, in food division and cockroach search operation. Moreover, the CCO algorithm adopts a non-probabilistic search strategy, which avoids a lot of invalid searches. Furthermore, by introducing a novel rotation scheme in the above CCO algorithm, an Adaptive Cockroach Colony Optimization （ACCO） algorithm is presented for the 2-D Rod-Like Robot Path Planning （RLRPP） problem. The simulation results show that the CCO algorithm can plan an optimal or approximately optimal collision-free path with linear time com- plexities. With the ACCO algorithm, the robot can accomplish intelligent and adaptive rotations to avoid obstacles and pass through narrow passages along the better path.

Obstacle avoidance for a hexapod robot in unknown environment

Obstacle avoidance is quite an important issue in the field of legged robotic applications, such as rescuing and detecting in complicated environment. Most related researchers focused on the legged robot’s gait generation after ssuming that obstacles have been detected and the walking path has been given. In this paper we propose and validate a novel obstacle avoidance framework for a six-legged walking robot Hexapod-III in unknown environment. Throughout the paper we highlight three themes: (1) The terrain map modeling and the obstacle detection; (2) the obstacle avoidance path planning method; (3) motion planning for the legged robot. Concretely, a novel geometric feature grid map (GFGM) is proposed to describe the terrain. Based on the GFGM, the obstacle detection algorithm is presented. Then the concepts of virtual obstacles and safe conversion pose are introduced. Virtual obstacles restrict the robot to walk on the detection terrain. A safe path based on Bezier curves, passing through safe conversion poses, is obtained by minimizing a penalty function taking into account the path length subjected to obstacle avoidance. Thirdly, motion planning for the legged robot to walk along the generated path is discussed in detail. At last, we apply the proposed framework to the Hexapod-III robot. The experimental result shows that our methodology allows the robot to walk safely without encountering with any obstacles in unknown environment.

Digital twin‐based multi‐objective autonomous vehicle navigation approach as applied in infrastructure construction

The widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles has generated considerable interest in their autonomous operation,with path planning emerging as a critical aspect.However,existing road infrastructure confronts challenges due to prolonged use and insufficient maintenance.Previous research on autonomous vehicle navigation has focused on determining the trajectory with the shortest distance,while neglecting road construction information,leading to potential time and energy inefficiencies in real-world scenarios involving infrastructure development.To address this issue,a digital twin-embedded multi-objective autonomous vehicle navigation is proposed under the condition of infrastructure construction.The authors propose an image processing algorithm that leverages captured images of the road construction environment to enable road extrac-tion and modelling of the autonomous vehicle workspace.Additionally,a wavelet neural network is developed to predict real-time traffic flow,considering its inherent charac-teristics.Moreover,a multi-objective brainstorm optimisation(BSO)-based method for path planning is introduced,which optimises total time-cost and energy consumption objective functions.To ensure optimal trajectory planning during infrastructure con-struction,the algorithm incorporates a real-time updated digital twin throughout autonomous vehicle operations.The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed model are validated through simulation and comparative studies conducted in diverse scenarios involving road construction.The results highlight the improved performance and reli-ability of the autonomous vehicle system when equipped with the authors’approach,demonstrating its potential for enhancing efficiency and minimising disruptions caused by road infrastructure development.