Improved path planning and tracking methods for mobile robot

To realize fast and efficient path planning and tracking for intelligent mobile robot in certain environments, improved artificial potential field (APF) method and new fuzzy controllers are proposed. In the path planning, basic idea of APF is inherited, and integrating with simulated annealing algorithm (SA), local minimum problem of APF is solved. In the path tracking, according to the description of robot oriented positioning control, novel path tracking fuzzy controllers which based on human driving behavior have been designed. And a position- orientation alternate control method is presented. When position error is bigger, a position controller is used to achieve the fast tracking, or if the error is smaller, a posture controller is used. The two kinds of controllers take in turns according to the position error. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.