Study of general local path planner to overcome U-shaped enclosure problem

Abstract

A new real-time path planning method for mobile robot is proposed based on weighted virtual tangential vector (WVTV) algorithm. The WVTV is obtained by computing weighted sum of virtual tangential vector (VTV) from detected obstacles. It has the property of keeping driving safety and achieve multi object optimization problem with linear combination of several vectors. In spite of these advantages, it is not much general solution to apply any of the mobile robot system. Also, it cannot solve re-entrance of u-shape problem. Our suggested algorithm is considered these pros and cons of WVTV and analyzing the property of obstacle shape, we will have more possibility to solve u-shape problem. Once we classify obstacle as a convex and non-convex, expected route of mobile robot will be identified. Significant performance enhancement of our algorithm is demonstrated by using Matlab simulator modeled by Khepera III for any complex obstacles and mixing any applied u-shape obstacles.