Smoothed A* algorithm for practical unmanned surface vehicle path planning

An effective path planning or route planning algorithm is essential for guiding unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) between way points or along a trajectory. The A* algorithm is one of the most efficient algorithms for calculating a safe route with the shortest distance cost. However, the route generated by the conventional A* algorithm is constrained by the resolution of the map and it may not be compatible with the non-holonomic constraint of the USV. In this paper an improved A* algorithm has been proposed and applied to the Springer USV. A new path smoothing process with three path smoothers has been developed to improve the performance of the generated route, reducing unnecessary ‘jags’, having no redundant waypoints and offering a more continuous route. Both simulation and experimental results show that the smoothed A* algorithm outperforms the conventional algorithm in both sparse and cluttered environments that have been uniformly rasterised. It has been demonstrated that the proposed improved A* route planning algorithm can be applied to the Springer USV providing promising results when tracking trajectories.     

Underwater vehicle obstacle avoidance and path planning using amulti-beam forward looking sonar

This paper describes a new framework for segmentation of sonar images, tracking of underwater objects and motion estimation. This framework is applied to the design of an obstacle avoidance and path planning system for underwater vehicles based on a multi-beam forward looking sonar sensor. The real-time data flow (acoustic images) at the input of the system is first segmented and relevant features are extracted. We also take advantage of the real-time data stream to track the obstacles in following frames to obtain their dynamic characteristics. This allows us to optimize the preprocessing phases in segmenting only the relevant part of the images. Once the static (size and shape) as well as dynamic characteristics (velocity, acceleration,…) of the obstacles have been computed, we create a representation of the vehicle's workspace based on these features. This representation uses constructive solid geometry (CSG) to create a convex set of obstacles defining the workspace. The tracking takes also into account obstacles which are no longer in the field of view of the sonar in the path planning phase. A well-proven nonlinear search (sequential quadratic programming) is then employed, where obstacles are expressed as constraints in the search space. This approach is less affected by local minima than classical methods using potential fields. The proposed system is not only capable of obstacle avoidance but also of path planning in complex environments which include fast moving obstacles. Results obtained on real sonar data are shown and discussed. Possible applications to sonar servoing and real-time motion estimation are also discussed     

Multi-Behavior Fusion Based Potential Field Method for Path Planning of Unmanned Surface Vessel

The problem of the unmanned surface vessel(USV) path planning in static and dynamic obstacle environments is addressed in this paper. Multi-behavior fusion based potential field method is proposed, which contains three behaviors: goal-seeking, boundary-memory following and dynamic-obstacle avoidance. Then, different activation conditions are designed to determine the current behavior. Meanwhile, information on the positions, velocities and the equation of motion for obstacles are detected and calculated by sensor data. Besides, memory information is introduced into the boundary following behavior to enhance cognition capability for the obstacles, and avoid local minima problem caused by the potential field method. Finally, the results of theoretical analysis and simulation show that the collision-free path can be generated for USV within different obstacle environments, and further validated the performance and effectiveness of the presented strategy.     

Radar-based collision avoidance for unmanned surface vehicles

Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) have become a focus of research because of their extensive applications. To ensure safety and reliability and to perform complex tasks autonomously, USVs are required to possess accurate perception of the environment and effective collision avoidance capabilities. To achieve these, investigation into realtime marine radar target detection and autonomous collision avoidance technologies is required, aiming at solving the problems of noise jamming, uneven brightness, target loss, and blind areas in marine radar images. These technologies should also satisfy the requirements of real-time and reliability related to high navigation speeds of USVs. Therefore, this study developed an embedded collision avoidance system based on the marine radar, investigated a highly real-time target detection method which contains adaptive smoothing algorithm and robust segmentation algorithm, developed a stable and reliable dynamic local environment model to ensure the safety of USV navigation, and constructed a collision avoidance algorithm based on velocity obstacle (V-obstacle) which adjusts the USV’s heading and speed in real-time. Sea trials results in multi-obstacle avoidance firstly demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed avoidance system, and then verify its great adaptability and relative stability when a USV sailing in a real and complex marine environment. The obtained results will improve the intelligent level of USV and guarantee the safety of USV independent sailing.     

A technique for autonomous underwater vehicle route planning

If an underwater vehicle is to be completely autonomous, it must have the ability to plan paths around obstacles in order to operate safely. Many solutions to the problem of planning the path of a robot around obstacles have been proposed, but all are limited in some way. An algorithm using artificial potential fields to aid in path planning is presented. The planning consists of applying potential fields around obstacles and using these fields to select a safe path. The advantage of using potential fields is that they offer a relatively fast and effective way to solve for safe paths. A trial path is chosen and then modified under the influence of the potential field until an appropriate path is found. By considering the entire path, the problem of being trapped in a local minimum is greatly reduced, allowing the method to be used for global planning. The algorithm was tried with success on many different planning problems. The examples provided illustrate the algorithm's application to two- and three-dimensional planning problems     

一种基于有限状态机模型的局部转向避碰路径规划算法

针对多礁石、渔船等障碍物的近海复杂环境下的一些应用,提出了一种基于有限状态机(finite-state machine,FSM)模型的无人船(unmanned surface vehicle,USV)局部转向避碰路径规划算法。首先,基于速度障碍法和障碍物区域分层方法,获取无人船固定航速条件下的航向角约束解析结果。然后,基于该约束条件及障碍物探测情况设计FSM的有限状态及执行动作和状态迁移条件,其中,通过转向控制实现向目标位点或缓冲位点进行导航的状态为FSM的2个重要状态。最终通过FSM的执行实现局部转向避碰路径规划。仿真结果表明提出的多障碍物避碰算法具有可行性和实用性。该方法易于改进和扩展,且容易与当前主流的无人船控制系统结合,有利于无人船避碰系统快速工程化的实现。     

一种基于改进蚁群算法的载人潜水器全局路径规划

当前关于使用蚁群算法解决载人潜水器路径规划问题的研究,往往只注重路径的长度和算法收敛速度,容易忽略路径点与障碍物之间的距离和路径的平滑度等要素。载人潜水器过于靠近障碍物航行时容易产生碰撞;按照不平滑路径行驶时,频繁地转向会降低航行效率。为解决这些问题,受人工势场法启发,文中在蚁群算法的概率选择环节引入障碍物惩罚因子φ和转向惩罚因子ψ,对路径点的选择加以限制。仿真测试表明,相比于传统蚁群算法和Dijkstra算法,该算法规划的路径与障碍物之间保持安全距离且转向次数更少,因此载人潜水器按照此路径航行时,安全性和航行效率更高。     

Closed-loop randomized kinodynamic path planning for an autonomous underwater vehicle

A randomized kinodynamic path planning algorithm based on the incremental sampling-based method is proposed here as the state-of-the-art in this field applicable in an autonomous underwater vehicle. Designing a feasible path for this vehicle from an initial position and velocity to a target position and velocity in three-dimensional spaces by considering the kinematic constraints such as obstacles avoidance and dynamic constraints such as hard bounds and non-holonomic characteristic of AUV are the main motivation of this research. For this purpose, a closed-loop rapidly-exploring random tree (CL-RRT) algorithm is presented. This CL-RRT consists of three tightly coupled components: a RRT algorithm, three fuzzy proportional-derivative controllers for heading and diving control and a six degree-of-freedom nonlinear AUV model. The branches of CL-RRT are expanded in the configuration space by considering the kinodynamic constraints of AUV. The feasibility of each branch and random offspring vertex in the CL-RRT is checked against the mentioned constraints of AUV. Next, if the planned branch is feasible by the AUV, then the control signals and related vertex are recorded through the path planner to design the final path. This proposed algorithm is implemented on a single board computer (SBC) through the xPC Target and then four test-cases are designed in 3D space. The results of the processor-in-the-loop tests are compared by the conventional RRT and indicate that the proposed CL-RRT not only in a rapid manner plans an initial path, but also the planned path is feasible by the AUV.     

多障碍环境中基于增强式学习的势场优化和机器人路径规划

该文把增强式学习方法应用于多障碍环境中机器人路径规划 ,并将增强式学习和路径规划相结合 ,通过工作空间势场的自适应优化学习 ,实现机器人的全局路径规划 ,即得到从任何初始位置开始的最优路径。与传统的人工势场方法相比 ,该方法避免了势场中局部极小点所引起的陷阱区域 ,并且所得到的路径具有最优特性。计算机仿真实验结果表明 ,这种学习方法能有效的解决多障碍环境中的机器人路径规划问题     

Parallel trajectory planning for shipborne Autonomous collision avoidance system

Collision at sea is always a significant issue affecting the safety of ship navigation. The shipborne autonomous collision avoidance system (SACAS) has the great advantage to minimize collision accidents in ship navigation. A parallel trajectory planning architecture is proposed in this paper for SACAS system. The fully-coupled deliberative planner based on the modified RRT algorithm is developed to search for optimal global trajectory in a low re-planning frequency. The fully-coupled reactive planner based on the modified DW algorithm is developed to generate the optimal local trajectory in a high re-planning frequency to counteract the unexpected behavior of dynamic obstacles in the vicinity of the vessel. The obstacle constraints, ship maneuvering constraints, COLREGs rules, trajectory optimality, and real-time requirements are satisfied simultaneously in both global and local planning to ensure the collision-free optimal navigation in compliance with COLREGs rules. The on-water tests of a trimaran model equipped with a model-scale SACAS system are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The good balance between the computational efficiency and trajectory optimality is achieved in parallel trajectory planning.     

Trajectory-cell based method for the unmanned surface vehicle motion planning

A trajectory-cell based method was proposed for unmanned surface vehicle (USV) motion planning to combine the expression of the dynamic constraints and the discretization of the search space. The dynamic constraints were expressed by the USV trajectories produced by the mathematical model. The search space was performed by the discretization rules with the consideration of the path continuity, the search convenience and the maneuvering simplification. Therefore, the trajectory-cells were the discretized trajectories, which made the search space meet the USV dynamic constraints, and guaranteed the final spliced path continuous. After abstracting the characteristics of those cells, the available waypoints and headings were represented as the search indexes. Finally, a trajectory-cell based path searching strategy was proposed by determining the cost function of the A* algorithm. The results showed that the proposed algorithm can plan a practical motion path for the USV.     

Information fusion model-free adaptive control algorithm and unmanned surface vehicle heading control

Based on the model-free adaptive control (MFAC) theory, the heading control problem of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with uncertainties is explored. First, as a USV’s heading subsystem does not satisfy the quasilinear assumption of the MFAC theory, a new type of input and output information fusion MFAC, i.e., the IOIF–MFAC algorithm is proposed. The novel algorithm proposed herein renders the MFAC theory applicable to the heading control of USVs. Next, the input and output information of the heading subsystem, namely the rudder angle and heading angle, are combined, and the data model of the heading subsystem is subsequently deduced using a compact format dynamic linearization method. Based on which, the stability of the control system is proved. Finally, the effectiveness and practicability of the IOIF–MFAC algorithm are verified by simulation and field experiments through the “Dolphin IB” test platform developed by our group.     

无人船运动控制方法综述

为实现无人船海上自主作业,无人船运动控制的快速性、准确性以及鲁棒性亟待提高。首先从全驱动控制和欠驱动控制角度,分别概括了国内外无人船航向控制、航速控制、轨迹跟踪控制以及路径跟踪控制的主流控制方法。其次,归纳总结了处理海洋环境不确定扰动的研究进展,包括扰动的建模和消除、抑制扰动的主流方法。最后,总结了无人船运动控制现状与存在的问题,并从工程应用和理论研究两个角度对未来的研究方向进行了展望。     

Real-time path planning and obstacle avoidance for RAIS: anautonomous underwater vehicle

This paper describes a navigation and guidance system (NGS) with real-time path planning and obstacle avoidance capabilities that has been developed for the autonomous underwater vehicle RAIS. The vehicle is designed to accomplish two missions: pre-deployment survey of sea bottom, and visual inspection of pipelines. In the first mission, the NGS must be able to track a predefined path while avoiding the unplanned occurrence of obstacles. In the second mission, the NGS must track a pipeline by locally reconstructing its location from visual information; also in this case, the unplanned occurrence of obstacles must be handled. Furthermore, the NGS must properly take into account the presence of ocean current and some drastic constraints due to sensor and actuator characteristics. Numerical and hardware-in-the-loop simulations have been developed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed NGS     

基于改进量子粒子群算法的AUV路径规划研究

针对海洋环境下自主水下机器人（AUV）的路径规划问题,提出了一种基于框架四叉树的改进量子粒子群算法（QPSO）,首先使用框架四叉树的方法对障碍物建模,该方法提高了建模的精度且对后续算法的效率也有极大的改进,之后设计改进的量子粒子群算法,并且结合水下环境的特殊性设计适应度函数,综合考虑航线路径长度、偏转角度以及海流影响,使得算法可以在水下环境中寻得能耗最短的解路径。最后通过仿真试验验证,相比于传统的栅格法和粒子群算法,改进量子粒子群算法的运算时间更短,收敛速度更快,其独特的适应度函数可以使AUV能更好适应水下多变的环境,且能利用海流设计能耗更小的路径,具有很大的实用价值。     

地波雷达目标检测跟踪联合处理粒子滤波方法

针对固定粒子数PF-TBD算法计算量大、复杂环境下地波雷达海上船只目标检测与跟踪性能不佳的问题,本文将粒子滤波方法应用于地波雷达船只目标检测与跟踪中,提出了基于自适应粒子滤波的地波雷达目标检测与跟踪联合处理方法。该方法结合地波雷达回波谱中目标展宽特性,充分利用了地波雷达回波谱中面目标的粒子权重信息来设置粒子自适应采样策略,提高了目标检测和跟踪联合处理的效果。通过地波雷达实测数据的目标跟踪结果及与同步AIS信息的比对分析,结果表明:提出的检测跟踪联合处理方法在对低信噪比、快速机动等复杂环境下的多目标跟踪时,可提高目标整体跟踪性能。     

Evolutionary path planning for autonomous underwater vehicles in a variable ocean

This paper proposes a genetic algorithm (GA) for path planning of an autonomous underwater vehicle in an ocean environment characterized by strong currents and enhanced space-time variability. The goal is to find a safe path that takes the vehicle from its starting location to a mission-specified destination, minimizing the energy cost. The GA includes novel genetic operators that ensure the convergence to the global minimum even in cases where the structure (in space and time) of the current field implies the existence of different local minima. The performance of these operators is discussed. The proposed algorithm is suitable for situations in which the vehicle has to operate energy-exhaustive missions.     

基于DIDSON的未知海域覆盖规划算法

针对自主水下机器人的路径规划问题,提出一种基于双频识别侧扫声呐(DIDSON)的全局路径规划算法。根据双频识别侧扫声呐的物理特性对AUV进行数学建模,根据声呐的工作频率不同,将AUV分为高频、低频两种工作模式。高频模式下成像精度高,低频模式下成像范围大。文中提出了一种D2-CPP算法,根据声呐返回的识别结果,算法会自主切换AUV的工作模式,并动态规划出对应的路径点,直到覆盖所有区域。通过与割草机算法的仿真对比,证明了算法的有效性,近海实验证明了算法的可靠性。     

在狭窄通道环境下书库管理机器人的最优路径规划

研究移动机器人在狭窄通道环境下的定位和路径规划问题。首先,根据在书架和图书上预置的射频识别(RFID)标签,利用RFID技术提出了确定书库管理机器人位置和姿态的方法。然后,根据书库的书架间通道狭窄的特点,将书库管理机器人的行驶状态分解为匀速直线运动和原地匀速旋转运动,并给出了机器人匀速直线运动和原地匀速旋转运动的用时模型。最后,提出一种书库管理机器人从任意起始位置和姿态到达任意目标位置的最小用时路径规划算法。仿真结果表明,本文提出的路径规划算法是有效的。     

Theoretical Model and Dynamic Analysis of Soft Yoke Mooring System

As a popular solution for mooring an FPSO （Floating Production, Storage and Offloading） permanently in shallow water, the soft yoke mooring system has been widely used in ocean oil production activities in the Bohai Bay of China. In order to simulate the interaction mechanism and conduct dynamic analysis of the soft yoke mooring system, a theoretical model with basic dynamic equations is established. A numerical iteration algorithm based on error estimation is developed to solve the equations and calculate the dynanfic response of the mooring system due to FPSO motions. Validation is conducted by wave basin experimentation. It is shown that the numerical simulation takes only a few iteration times and the final errors are small. Furthermore, the calculated results of both the static and dynamic responses agree well with those ones obtained by the model test. It indicates that the efficiency, the precision, the reliability and the validity of the developed numerical algorithm and program are rather good. It is proposed to develop a real-time monitoring system to further monitor the dynamic performance of the FPSO with a soft yoke mooring system under various real sea environments.