A Survey of Path Planning Algorithms for Mobile Robots

Path planning algorithms are used by mobile robots, unmanned aerial vehicles, and autonomous cars in order to identify safe, efficient, collision-free, and least-cost travel paths from an origin to a destination. Choosing an appropriate path planning algorithm helps to ensure safe and effective point-to-point navigation, and the optimal algorithm depends on the robot geometry as well as the computing constraints, including static/holonomic and dynamic/non-holonomically-constrained systems, and requires a comprehensive understanding of contemporary solutions. The goal of this paper is to help novice practitioners gain an awareness of the classes of path planning algorithms used today and to understand their potential use cases—particularly within automated or unmanned systems. To that end, we provide broad, rather than deep, coverage of key and foundational algorithms, with popular algorithms and variants considered in the context of different robotic systems. The definitions, summaries, and comparisons are relevant to novice robotics engineers and embedded system developers seeking a primer of available algorithms.

[1]  Mahardhika Pratama,et al.  A hybrid algorithm for efficient path planning of autonomous ground vehicles , 2016, 2016 14th International Conference on Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision (ICARCV).

[2]  Steven M. LaValle,et al.  RRT-connect: An efficient approach to single-query path planning , 2000, Proceedings 2000 ICRA. Millennium Conference. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Symposia Proceedings (Cat. No.00CH37065).

[3]  WANG Yijing,et al.  Local Path Planning of Autonomous Vehicles Based on A* Algorithm with Equal-Step Sampling , 2018, 2018 37th Chinese Control Conference (CCC).

[4]  Pratyusha Rakshit,et al.  Adaptive Firefly Algorithm for nonholonomic motion planning of car-like system , 2013, 2013 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation.

[5]  Mei-Lan Chen.  Toward Adaptive Ant Colony Algorithm , 2010, 2010 International Conference on Measuring Technology and Mechatronics Automation.

[6]  Rahul Singhal,et al.  Shortest Path Evaluation with Enhanced Linear Graph and Dijkstra Algorithm , 2020, 2020 59th Annual Conference of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers of Japan (SICE).

[7]  Byunghee Lee,et al.  Path Planning Algorithm Using the Particle Swarm Optimization and the Improved Dijkstra Algorithm , 2008, 2008 IEEE Pacific-Asia Workshop on Computational Intelligence and Industrial Application.

[8]  Guangzhong Dong,et al.  Active Balancing of Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Graph Theory and A-Star Search Algorithm , 2021, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics.

[9]  Jin Xiao,et al.  Unmanned aerial vehicle route planning method based on a star algorithm , 2018, 2018 13th IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications (ICIEA).

[10]  Bo Yan,et al.  Improved hierarchical A-star algorithm for optimal parking path planning of the large parking lot , 2014, 2014 IEEE International Conference on Information and Automation (ICIA).

[11]  Mokhairi Makhtar,et al.  Robotic Indoor Path Planning Using Dijkstra's Algorithm with Multi-Layer Dictionaries , 2015, 2015 2nd International Conference on Information Science and Security (ICISS).

[12]  Robin De Keyser,et al.  Heuristic approaches in robot path planning: A survey , 2016, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[13]  Norlida Buniyamin,et al.  Ant colony system for robot path planning in global static environment , 2010 .

[14]  S. LaValle.  Rapidly-exploring random trees : a new tool for path planning , 1998 .

[15]  Edsger W. Dijkstra,et al.  A note on two problems in connexion with graphs , 1959, Numerische Mathematik.

[16]  Zhou Fang,et al.  Intelligent Travel Planning System based on A-star Algorithm , 2020, 2020 IEEE 4th Information Technology, Networking, Electronic and Automation Control Conference (ITNEC).

[17]  Anthony Stentz,et al.  Field D*: An Interpolation-Based Path Planner and Replanner , 2005, ISRR.

[18]  Riri Fitri Sari,et al.  A Review of Firefly Algorithms for Path Planning, Vehicle Routing and Traveling Salesman Problems , 2018, 2018 2nd International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Informatics (ICon EEI).

[19]  Xiao Cui,et al.  A*-based Pathfinding in Modern Computer Games , 2011 .

[20]  J.A. Janet,et al.  The essential visibility graph: an approach to global motion planning for autonomous mobile robots , 1995, Proceedings of 1995 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[21]  Yijing Wang,et al.  Autonomous Vehicles Path Planning With Enhanced Ant Colony optimization , 2019, 2019 Chinese Control Conference (CCC).

[22]  David Furcy,et al.  Lifelong Planning A , 2004, Artif. Intell..

[23]  Zhiping Zhou,et al.  Enhanced Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm for Global Path Planning of Mobile Robots , 2013, 2013 International Conference on Computational and Information Sciences.

[24]  Marco Dorigo,et al.  Ant system: optimization by a colony of cooperating agents , 1996, IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Part B.

[25]  Andy Ju An Wang,et al.  Path Planning for Virtual Human Motion Using Improved A* Star Algorithm , 2010, 2010 Seventh International Conference on Information Technology: New Generations.

[26]  Hiroshi Noborio,et al.  On the heuristics of A* or A algorithm in ITS and robot path-planning , 2003, Proceedings 2003 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2003) (Cat. No.03CH37453).

[27]  Anthony Stentz,et al.  Multi-robot exploration controlled by a market economy , 2002, Proceedings 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.02CH37292).

[28]  Xiushan Cai,et al.  Vehicle routing plan based on ant colony and insert heuristic algorithm , 2016, CCC 2016.

[29]  Mohd Fauzi Othman,et al.  Global Path Planning for Autonomous Mobile Robot Using Genetic Algorithm , 2013, 2013 International Conference on Signal-Image Technology & Internet-Based Systems.

[30]  Matjaz Perc,et al.  A review of chaos-based firefly algorithms: Perspectives and research challenges , 2015, Appl. Math. Comput..

[31]  Duong-Van Nguyen,et al.  Guided Hybrid A-star Path Planning Algorithm for Valet Parking Applications , 2019, 2019 5th International Conference on Control, Automation and Robotics (ICCAR).

[32]  Ralf Salomon,et al.  Implementation of Path Planning using Genetic Algorithms on Mobile Robots , 2006, 2006 IEEE International Conference on Evolutionary Computation.

[33]  Nils J. Nilsson,et al.  Principles of Artificial Intelligence , 1980, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence.

[34]  Kun-Ming Yu,et al.  Dynamic path planning based on adaptable Ant colony optimization algorithm , 2017, 2017 Sixth International Conference on Future Generation Communication Technologies (FGCT).

[35]  Martial Hebert,et al.  Distributed robotic mapping of extreme environments , 2001, SPIE Optics East.

[36]  Xin Xu,et al.  Collision Avoidance Planning Method of USV Based on Improved Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm , 2019, IEEE Access.

[37]  Zineb Hidila,et al.  Parallel implementation of A* search algorithm for road network , 2019, 2019 Third International Conference on Intelligent Computing in Data Sciences (ICDS).

[38]  Maxim Likhachev,et al.  High-dimensional planning on the GPU , 2010, 2010 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[39]  Jian Huang,et al.  Global path planning using modified firefly algorithm , 2017, 2017 International Symposium on Micro-NanoMechatronics and Human Science (MHS).

[40]  P. Giblin.  Computational geometry: algorithms and applications (2nd edn.), by M. de Berg, M. van Kreveld, M. Overmars and O. Schwarzkopf. Pp. 367. £20.50. 2000. ISBN 3 540 65620 0 (Springer-Verlag). , 2001, The Mathematical Gazette.

[41]  Yi Zhang,et al.  Improved A* Algorithm For Time-dependent Vehicle Routing Problem , 2012 .

[42]  Carlos E. Thomaz,et al.  Mobile Robot Path Planning Using Genetic Algorithms , 1999, IWANN.

[43]  Dayo Reuben Aremu,et al.  Design of a Modified Dijkstra’s Algorithm for finding alternate routes for shortest-path problems with huge costs. , 2020, 2020 International Conference in Mathematics, Computer Engineering and Computer Science (ICMCECS).

[44]  Qun Sun,et al.  A Developed Firefly Algorithm for Multi-Objective Path Planning Optimization Problem , 2018, 2018 IEEE 8th Annual International Conference on CYBER Technology in Automation, Control, and Intelligent Systems (CYBER).

[45]  Zhao Huadong,et al.  A Path Planning Method of Robot Arm Obstacle Avoidance Based on Dynamic Recursive Ant Colony Algorithm , 2019, 2019 IEEE International Conference on Power, Intelligent Computing and Systems (ICPICS).

[46]  Nils J. Nilsson,et al.  A Formal Basis for the Heuristic Determination of Minimum Cost Paths , 1968, IEEE Trans. Syst. Sci. Cybern..

[47]  N. Buniyamin,et al.  An Overview of Autonomous Mobile Robot Path Planning Algorithms , 2006, 2006 4th Student Conference on Research and Development.

[48]  Silja Meyer-Nieberg,et al.  A Multi-layered Adaptive Network Approach for Shortest Path Planning During Critical Operations in Dynamically Changing and Uncertain Environments , 2016, 2016 49th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS).

[49]  Maya Gokhale,et al.  On the Acceleration of Shortest Path Calculations in Transportation Networks , 2007 .

[50]  Steven M. LaValle,et al.  Planning algorithms , 2006 .

[51]  Jorge A. Baier,et al.  Making A* Run Faster than D*-Lite for Path-Planning in Partially Known Terrain , 2014, ICAPS.

[52]  Ning Guo,et al.  A solution for simultaneous adaptive ant colony algorithm to memory demand vehicle routing problem with pickups , 2016, CCDC 2016.

[53]  Mengyin Fu,et al.  A practical route planning algorithm for vehicle navigation system , 2004, Fifth World Congress on Intelligent Control and Automation (IEEE Cat. No.04EX788).

[54]  Seong Oun Hwang,et al.  Path Planning Method for UAVs Based on Constrained Polygonal Space and an Extremely Sparse Waypoint Graph , 2021, Applied Sciences.

[55]  Aura Conci,et al.  A Multi-agent System for Dynamic Path Planning , 2010, 2010 Second Brazilian Workshop on Social Simulation.

[56]  Guo Qing,et al.  Path-planning of automated guided vehicle based on improved Dijkstra algorithm , 2017, 2017 29th Chinese Control And Decision Conference (CCDC).

[57]  Anthony Stentz,et al.  Optimal and efficient path planning for partially-known environments , 1994, Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[58]  R. Larson,et al.  A survey of dynamic programming computational procedures , 1967, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control.

[59]  Reid G. Simmons,et al.  Recent progress in local and global traversability for planetary rovers , 2000, Proceedings 2000 ICRA. Millennium Conference. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Symposia Proceedings (Cat. No.00CH37065).

[60]  Anthony Stentz,et al.  A Guide to Heuristic-based Path Planning , 2005 .

[61]  Anthony Stentz.  Optimal and Efficient Path Planning for Unknown and Dynamic Environments , 1993 .

[62]  Tim Güneysu,et al.  New Protection Mechanisms for Intellectual Property in Reconfigurable Logic , 2007 .

[63]  Wei Wang,et al.  Automatic Routing Study of Spacecraft Cable based on A-star Algorithm , 2020, 2020 IEEE 5th Information Technology and Mechatronics Engineering Conference (ITOEC).

[64]  Haitao Yang,et al.  Research and Optimization of D-Start Lite Algorithm in Track Planning , 2020, IEEE Access.

[65]  Jean-Claude Latombe,et al.  Autonomous agents for real-time animation , 1999 .

[66]  Anis Koubaa,et al.  Relaxed Dijkstra and A* with linear complexity for robot path planning problems in large-scale grid environments , 2016, Soft Comput..

[67]  Guo Jian,et al.  A SRT-based path planning algorithm in unknown complex environment , 2014, The 26th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (2014 CCDC).

[68]  Sungho Kang,et al.  An Efficient Hardware Architecture of the A-star Algorithm for the Shortest Path Search Engine , 2009, 2009 Fifth International Joint Conference on INC, IMS and IDC.

[69]  Lei Shi,et al.  Novel path planning of robots based on bidirectional ant colony algorithm , 2010, 2010 Sixth International Conference on Natural Computation.

[70]  Maxim Likhachev,et al.  D*lite , 2002, AAAI/IAAI.

[71]  Bin Chen,et al.  NP-Hard Problems of Learning from Examples , 2008, 2008 Fifth International Conference on Fuzzy Systems and Knowledge Discovery.

[72]  Janez Brest,et al.  A comprehensive review of firefly algorithms , 2013, Swarm Evol. Comput..

[73]  Matthew Garratt,et al.  Dynamic path planning algorithm for autonomous vehicles in cluttered environments , 2016, 2016 IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation.

[74]  Hongjian Wang,et al.  UUV Path Planning for Collision Avoidance Based on Ant Colony Algorithm , 2020, 2020 39th Chinese Control Conference (CCC).

[75]  Li Yuanyuan,et al.  Study on Robot Path Collision Avoidance Planning Based on the Improved Ant Colony Algorithm , 2016, 2016 8th International Conference on Intelligent Human-Machine Systems and Cybernetics (IHMSC).

[76]  S. LaValle,et al.  Randomized Kinodynamic Planning , 2001 .

[77]  Pierre Feyzeau,et al.  Path planning: A 2013 survey , 2013, Proceedings of 2013 International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Systems Management (IESM).

[78]  Velappa Ganapathy,et al.  Enhanced D* Lite Algorithm for Autonomous Mobile Robot , 2011 .

[79]  S. Areibi,et al.  Genetic algorithm for dynamic path planning , 2004, Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering 2004 (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37513).

[80]  Anthony Stentz,et al.  The D* Algorithm for Real-Time Planning of Optimal Traverses , 1994 .

[81]  Oyas Wahyunggoro,et al.  Smoothed A-star Algorithm for Nonholonomic Mobile Robot Path Planning , 2019, 2019 International Conference on Information and Communications Technology (ICOIACT).

[82]  Gao Chen,et al.  Path planning of UAVs formation based on improved ant colony optimization algorithm , 2014, Proceedings of 2014 IEEE Chinese Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference.

[83]  Marilena Vendittelli,et al.  The SRT method: randomized strategies for exploration , 2004, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2004. Proceedings. ICRA '04. 2004.

[84]  Simon X. Yang,et al.  A knowledge based genetic algorithm for path planning of a mobile robot , 2004, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2004. Proceedings. ICRA '04. 2004.

[85]  Richard Green,et al.  Vision-based autonomous navigation in indoor environments , 2010, 2010 25th International Conference of Image and Vision Computing New Zealand.

[86]  A. Tero,et al.  Rules for Biologically Inspired Adaptive Network Design , 2010, Science.