A Global Integrated Artificial Potential Field/Virtual Obstacles Path Planning Algorithm for Multi-Robot System Applications

1 Multi-Robot Systems (MRS) Research Group, German University in Cairo, 5th Settlement New Cairo, 11432, Cairo, Egypt ---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------Abstract In this paper, a global off-line path planning approach is implemented using an energy-based approach Artificial Potential Field (APF) for Multi-Robot Systems (MRSs). A 3-D potential map is created by using simplified potential functions. Both attraction forces between the robots and the goal, and repulsion forces to repel the robots from the obstacles and each other, are calculated to generate the 3-D map. The local minima problem is handled in this paper using the Virtual Obstacles (VOs) approach. The robot path is generated starting from the robot initial position to the goal based on the generated 3D potential map to be followed by the mobile robots. All simulations are done using MATLab and Virtual Robot Experimental Platform (V-REP). On the MATLab side, the APF controller is implemented to build the map and generate robots paths. The robots are controlled to track the paths and visualized in the V-REP environment.