Local Path Planning Method Based on Virtual Manipulators and Dynamic Window Approach for a Wheeled Mobile Robot

This paper proposes a local path planning method based on virtual manipulators and dynamic window approach (VMDWA) for a wheeled mobile robot. In the conventional researches such as the dynamic window approach (DWA), the mobile robot follows the desired path and avoids obstacles in the dynamic and static environment. However, DWA calculates the predicted path assuming the constant velocities. From these predicted paths, the best path is selected using the cost function. Since the DWA assumes the constant value of velocities, multiple candidates of paths cannot generate flexible movements. Therefore, it may not be possible to generate the path that does not collide with obstacles. To solve these problems, this paper proposes the local path planning method based on virtual manipulators and dynamic window approach (VMDWA). In the proposed method, virtual manipulators are taken into account at the calculation of the path planning based on DWA. Therefore, it is possible to use the variable velocities values for the predictive paths. VMDWA selects the optimal path from the several calculations of predictive paths. The simulation results confirmed the effectiveness of the VMDWA.