Robot navigation using the vector potential approach

The artificial vector potential is used to construct a navigation control that can drive a manipulator to a target set while avoiding undesired regions in the workspace. It is shown that a vector potential field can better navigate a robot than a scalar potential field. The strategy that is suggested for constructing the navigation control is very flexible in the sense that it allows the addition or deletion of obstacles with minimal adjustment to the control. An efficient technique for generating the navigation field in the N-D space is proposed. Simulation results are provided