Sensor-Based Exploration: The Hierarchical Generalized Voronoi Graph

The hierarchical generalized Voronoi graph (HGVG) is a new roadmap developed for sensor-based exploration in unknown environments. This paper defines the HGVG structure: a robot can plan a path between two locations in its work space or configuration space by simply planning a path onto the HGVG, then along the HGVG, and finally from the HGVG to the goal. Since the bulk of the path planning occurs on the one-dimensional HGVG, motion planning in arbitrary dimensioned spaces is virtually reduced to a one-dimensional search problem. A bulk of this paper is dedicated to ensuring the HGVG is sufficient for motion planning by demonstrating the HGVG (with its links) is an arc-wise connected structure. All of the proofs in this paper that lead toward the connectivity result focus on a large subset of spaces in R3, but wherever possible, results are derived in Rm. In fact, under a strict set of conditions, the HGVG (the GVG by itself) is indeed connected, and hence sufficient for motion planni...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2000
• Where: IJRR
• Authors: Howie Choset, Joel W. Burdick
• Keywords: Arbitrary Dimensioned Spaces, Hierarchical Generalized Voronoi, IJRR 2000, Planning