Variable-resolution map building and real-time path planning of omni-directional mobile robots

This research addresses a method for mobile robots that simultaneously performs map building and path-planning on line. A graph representation of a workspace with variable resolutions is constructed using measurement data obtained by omni-directional distance sensors. At the same time, a real-time search for a feasible path to the goal is executed on the constructed graph-map. The proposed method is evaluated through experiments using an omni-directional mobile robot equipped with laser range finders.