Research On Path Planning Algorithm For Tube Plate Crawling Robot

Mobile robotics is a subject with strong comprehensive, it relates to the latest research results of many subjects. In recent decades, mobile robotics have received considerable development along with the progress of related technology, such as the growing maturity of the computer technology and artificial intelligence theory. In the study of the mobile robot related technologies, path planning algorithm is an important project. A suitable path planning algorithm can greatly improve the efficiency of the mobile robot, therefore, the research on mobile robot path planning algorithm has important theoretical and practical significance.In order to achieve the TPCR robot path planning and obstacle avoidance, the paper study a lot on the work space, motion models and collision detec tion of the robot, completed the path planning with the A* algorithm, completed the robot simulate path planning with the simulation control system and analyzed the feasibility of the algorithm.In order to complete the robot path planning, firstly, the paper modeled the robot workspace, in other word, represented the robot’s workspace feature information by specific ways as map model easily processing by algorithms. The TPCR robot workspace can be considered as a two-dimensional plane of the tube array in a square or triangular distributed manner, the paper completed the spatial model using the grid map method for this type of work space. On the side, based on the analyzing of the three-dimensional model of the TPCR robot, the three-dimensional model is expressed as a motion model by way of parametric feature information.Collision detection is an important content for mobile robot path planning. During the movement of the TPCR robot, the robot might encounter a variety of situations of crash, such as boundary, plugging holes, blind holes and so on, therefore the collision detection is essential. In the paper, collision detection was completed by building a collision-free motion space and the robot path planning was recompleted in this space. In detail, the collision detection is accomplished by the way of parameter calculation and Octree model checking. On other hand, while the TPCR robot is under normal operation, it is overturned below the tube plate generally, in order to prevent the robot falling down due to system failures or human errors, the paper add logical protections on the movements of the robot.This paper presents a path planning method based on A * algorithm for TPCR robot. The algorithm defines a basic planning unit named "Step" based on the robot motion, and then designed the node expanding manner and evaluation function for the algorithm.Finally, the paper set up a TPCR robot path planning simulation environment,designed the simulation experiments according to the conditions of tube pla te, and verified the effectiveness of the algorithm combined with the simulation data.