An Improved Artificial Potential Field-based SImultaneous FORward Search (Improved APF-based SIFORS) method for robot path planning

An effective Improved Artificial Potential Field-based SImultaneous FORward Search (Improved APF-based SIFORS) method was developed in known environment, which was very similar with the path relaxation method. We firstly redefined potential functions to calculate a valid path, then proposed a SImultaneous FORward Search method (SIFORS method) to shorten the distance of planned path. Such path was calculated by connecting the sequential points produced by Improved APF method. And we mainly focused on discussing the Bidirectional Improved APF-based SIFORS method in this paper. The simulation results confirmed that our proposed path planning approach could calculate a shorter, collision-free, no oscillations and safe path to a destination than general Improved APF methods can, and consumed few computational times.