Planning
Planning involves determining a path from a start position to a goal position while avoiding obstacles. There are several algorithms available for this task. We will discuss two popular ones: A* (A-star) algorithm and the RRT (Rapidly-exploring Random Tree) algorithim.
A good path planning algorithm ensures that the path is:
-
Safe: Does not collide with obstacles.
-
Efficient: Short or fast to traverse.
-
Feasible: Respecting the robot’s movement constraints (like turning radius or speed limits).
Examples
-
When you request directions, Google Maps calculates a route based on roads, traffic, and potential obstacles using A* (A-star) algorithm. It evaluates multiple possible paths and chooses the best one, much like how a robot would explore options to reach its goal.
-
Another major example is autonomous warehouse robots. These robots navigate crowded warehouses, avoiding shelves, other robots, and workers, to quickly move items from storage to packing stations
-
Robotic waiters or delivery robots, which move safely through busy restaurants, hotels, or hospitals, avoiding people, tables, and obstacles in real time.
