An optimal motion planning and obstacle avoidance algorithm based on the finite time velocity obstacle approach

This paper addresses a collision-free motion planning algorithm of mobile robots based on the synergy of discrete motion planning and optimal Finite-time Velocity Obstacle (FVO). The proposed approach is employed for motion planning of a mobile robot to the end of passing through an unknown environment. In this regard, predicated on the non-convex nature of the FVO constraints, they are approximated by a parabolic function and the approximated function is used to calculate the optimal next step velocity of the mobile robot in order to ensure the collision free motion. The reported results reveal that by considering the maximum velocity of the mobile robot, obtained computation time is less than 0.00015 seconds in each stage for single mobile robot scenarios which can be considered fast enough for robot motion planning tasks for the mobile robot under study.