On-line Motion Planner for Multi-Agents based on Real-Time Collision Prognosis

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to decentralized motion planning and conflict-resolution for multiple mobile agents working in an environment with unexpected moving obstacles. Our proposed motion planner has two characteristics. One is a real-time collision prognosis based on modified collision map. Collision map is a famous centralized motion planner with low computation load, and the collision prognosis hands over these characteristics. And the collision prognosis is based on current robots status, maximum robot speeds, maximum robot accelerations, and path information produced from off-line path planning procedure, so it is applicable to motion planner for multiple agents in a dynamic environment. The other characteristic is that motion controller architecture is based on potential field method, which is capable of integrating robot guidance to the goals with collision avoidance. For the architecture, we define virtual obstacles making delay time for collision avoidance from the real-time collision prognosis. Finally the results obtained from realistic simulation of a multi-robot environment with unknown moving obstacles demonstrate safety and efficiency of the proposed method.