Adaptive pyramidal clustering for shortest path determination
Keith Olson, Scott A. Speigle · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 1996
This paper will present a unique concept implemented in a software design that determines near optimal paths between hundreds of randomly connected nodes of interest in a faster time than current near optimal path determining algorithms. The adaptive pyramidal clustering (APC) approach to determining near optimal paths between numerous nodes uses an adaptive neural network along with classical heuristic search techniques. This combination is represented by a nearest neighbor clustering up function (performed by the neural network) and a trickle down pruning function (performed by the heuristic search). The function of the adaptive neural network is a significant reason why the APC algorithm is superior to several well known approaches. The APC algorithm has already been applied to autonomous route planning for unmanned ground vehicles. The intersections represent navigational waypoints that can be selected as source and destination locations. The APC algorithm then determines a near optimal path to navigate between the selected waypoints.