Motion Planning in Dynamic Environments Using Velocity Obstacles

!llis paper presents a new approach for rot)ot ]notion planning in dynamic environments, based on the concept of Velocity Obstacle. ,4 velocity obstacle defines the set of robot velocities that would result in a collision between tlie robot and an obstacle moving at a given velocity. The avoidance maneuver a{ a specific time is thus computed by selecting robot’s velocities out of that set. ~’lle set [If all avoid inp, velocities is redllced to the dynamica]]y fcasib]e maneuvers by considering the robot’s acceleration constraints. This computation is re])eatecl at regular time intro vals to account for genera] obstacle trajectories. The t rajtxtory from start to goal can be com ])uted by searching a tree of feasible avoidance maneuvers C.olnputecl at discrete time ini ervals. An exhaustive search of the tree yields near-optima] trajectories that either minimize distance or motion time. A