Improved Variable Step Length A* Search Algorithm for Path Planning of Mobile Robots

Abstract

The use of Mobile Robots in diverse sectors are increasing day by day. Nowadays, mobile robots are widely used in industrial sectors, but real-time path planning and collision free path tracking raises more challenging issues. A good path planning process for these mobile robots is needed in order for them to perform better. In path planning problems, the $A^{\ast}$ algorithm has been widely investigated and applied, but the cost and efficiency of the path is not completely taken into consideration. This algorithm has been tweaked and improved in a number of ways to facilitate path planning. Taking into account the variable-step-length $A^{\ast}$ search algorithm, which can take steps longer than one. This method uses a fixed step length and produces a better path than the $A^{\ast}$ Search algorithm. However, if the step length can be modified in the process as required, a more optimal direction can be obtained. As a result, this paper proposes an improved updated variable-step-length based $A^{\ast}$ algorithm that can update or change step length. This algorithm will efficiently find a path with a shorter length. In order to check the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed system, simulation and practical experiments are carried out. The findings show that the improved $A^{\ast}$ algorithm will increase the planned route’s safety and efficiency while also reducing the robot’s movement time in difficult terrain.