A Software Tool for Teaching the Homotopy-Based Path Planning Method for Mobile Robot Applications
Gerardo Ulises Diaz-Arango, Héctor Vázquez-Leal, Z. Ortiz-Viveros, Luis Hernández-Martínez, Arévalo Alvarado, Y. Preciado-Quintero, E. Duran-Toyo, D. Sanchez-Casarrubias · 2023
In this work, a software tool is presented, developed for easy implementation in academic projects and mobile robotics teaching using the collision-free path planner based on continuation homotopy (HPPM). A concise explanation of the HPPM formulation is offered, along with a discussion on the key parameters essential for its implementation. A primary objective of this study is to ensure that the HPPM is accessible to students and researchers, thereby encouraging its adoption in academic and research contexts. An entire section is devoted to introducing the precompiled planning software tool, detailing how it can be integrated as a module in Python scripts. Following this, three case studies are showcased, where the tool is employed to solve real environment maps containing circular obstacles. In the final case study, the practical application of the planner, resulting in collision-free paths for a Parallax S2 robot, is demonstrated. The study concludes by addressing several crucial considerations for implementation, followed by concluding remarks and directions for future research.