A novel potential field method for path planning of mobile robots by adapting animal motion attributes

• Animal motion attributes were adapted to mobile robot path planning.
• The aim of the proposed method is to assist human–robot interaction.
• The proposed method is capable of on-line navigation in dynamic environments.
• Simulations were implemented and are accessible online for evaluation.
• The robotics implementation confirmed the simulation results.

This paper presents a concept for path planning of mobile robots in household environments. The proposed algorithm takes communicative means of locomotion into account in order to facilitate human–robot interaction. The well-known traditional artificial potential field method (APF) was extended by motion characteristics of household animals. The proposed algorithm includes velocity and orientation information and can be used in unknown, dynamic environments. The main contribution of this paper is the definition of an online, local path planning method by adapting animal motion attributes in order to assist human–robot interaction. The algorithm was implemented in an embedded system and evaluated on MOGI-ETHON, a holonomic drive mobile robot.