Discussions on Chinese modernization are offering African countries both conceptual inspiration and practical references as they explore their own sustainable development paths.
Rapidly-exploring Random Tree(RRT)and its variants have become foundational in path-planning research,yet in complex three-dimensional off-road environments their uniform blind sampling and limited safety guarantees l...Rapidly-exploring Random Tree(RRT)and its variants have become foundational in path-planning research,yet in complex three-dimensional off-road environments their uniform blind sampling and limited safety guarantees lead to slow convergence and force an unfavorable trade-off between path quality and traversal safety.To address these challenges,we introduce HS-APF-RRT*,a novel algorithm that fuses layered sampling,an enhanced Artificial Potential Field(APF),and a dynamic neighborhood-expansion mechanism.First,the workspace is hierarchically partitioned into macro,meso,and micro sampling layers,progressively biasing random samples toward safer,lower-energy regions.Second,we augment the traditional APF by incorporating a slope-dependent repulsive term,enabling stronger avoidance of steep obstacles.Third,a dynamic expansion strategy adaptively switches between 8 and 16 connected neighborhoods based on local obstacle density,striking an effective balance between search efficiency and collision-avoidance precision.In simulated off-road scenarios,HS-APF-RRT*is benchmarked against RRT*,GoalBiased RRT*,and APF-RRT*,and demonstrates significantly faster convergence,lower path-energy consumption,and enhanced safety margins.展开更多
Excavation causes stress redistribution and affects the stress path during the shearing process of rock.The shear strength of rock varies under different stress paths,and the presence of defects reduces the shear stre...Excavation causes stress redistribution and affects the stress path during the shearing process of rock.The shear strength of rock varies under different stress paths,and the presence of defects reduces the shear strength.To further investigate this phenomenon,this study investigates the shear behaviour of rocks with different shear surface integrities under the influenceof different stress paths through laboratory tests and numerical simulations.The results indicate that the shear strength depends on the stress path and a decrease in the shear surface integrity reduces the degree of dependence.The cohesion and friction angle of the Mohr‒Coulomb criterion decrease with weakening of the shear surface integrity.For different stress paths,the direct shear strength is always greater than that of other shear stress paths.The pattern of changes in the acoustic emission count and cumulative count indirectly reflectsthe above findings.Numerical simulations further indicate that the different principal stress states and normal suppression effects during the shearing process lead to changes in the factors of crack propagation,resulting in different mechanical behaviours under various stress paths.For rocks with different integrity levels,the main reason for the different path dependences of shear strength is that the size of the area affected by shear is different.Shear failure will concentrate on the shear plane when the normal inhibition effect is greater.This study explores the mechanism of rock shear behaviour,providing a theoretical basis for establishing more accurate constitutive models and strength criteria.展开更多
To address low learning efficiency and inadequate path safety in spraying robot navigation within complex obstacle-rich environments—with dense,dynamic,unpredictable obstacles challenging conventional methods—this p...To address low learning efficiency and inadequate path safety in spraying robot navigation within complex obstacle-rich environments—with dense,dynamic,unpredictable obstacles challenging conventional methods—this paper proposes a hybrid algorithm integrating Q-learning and improved A*-Artificial Potential Field(A-APF).Centered on theQ-learning framework,the algorithmleverages safety-oriented guidance generated byA-APF and employs a dynamic coordination mechanism that adaptively balances exploration and exploitation.The proposed system comprises four core modules:(1)an environment modeling module that constructs grid-based obstacle maps;(2)an A-APF module that combines heuristic search from A*algorithm with repulsive force strategies from APF to generate guidance;(3)a Q-learning module that learns optimal state-action values(Q-values)through spraying robot-environment interaction and a reward function emphasizing path optimality and safety;and(4)a dynamic optimization module that ensures adaptive cooperation between Q-learning and A-APF through exploration rate control and environment-aware constraints.Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly enhances path safety in complex underground mining environments.Quantitative results indicate that,compared to the traditional Q-learning algorithm,the proposed method shortens training time by 42.95% and achieves a reduction in training failures from 78 to just 3.Compared to the static fusion algorithm,it further reduces both training time(by 10.78%)and training failures(by 50%),thereby improving overall training efficiency.展开更多
This paper introduces a novel nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithm called the Gekko japonicus algorithm.The algo-rithm draws inspiration mainly from the predation strategies and survival behaviors of the Gekko japo...This paper introduces a novel nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithm called the Gekko japonicus algorithm.The algo-rithm draws inspiration mainly from the predation strategies and survival behaviors of the Gekko japonicus.The math-ematical model is developed by simulating various biological behaviors of the Gekko japonicus,such as hybrid loco-motion patterns,directional olfactory guidance,implicit group advantage tendencies,and the tail autotomy mechanism.By integrating multi-stage mutual constraints and dynamically adjusting parameters,GJA maintains an optimal balance between global exploration and local exploitation,thereby effectively solving complex optimization problems.To assess the performance of GJA,comparative analyses were performed against fourteen state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithms using the CEC2017 and CEC2022 benchmark test sets.Additionally,a Friedman test was performed on the experimen-tal results to assess the statistical significance of differences between various algorithms.And GJA was evaluated using multiple qualitative indicators,further confirming its superiority in exploration and exploitation.Finally,GJA was utilized to solve four engineering optimization problems and further implemented in robotic path planning to verify its practical applicability.Experimental results indicate that,compared to other high-performance algorithms,GJA demonstrates excep-tional performance as a powerful optimization algorithm in complex optimization problems.We make the code publicly available at:https://github.com/zhy1109/Gekko-japonicusalgorithm.展开更多
Q-learning is a classical reinforcement learning method with broad applicability.It can respond effectively to environmental changes and provide flexible strategies,making it suitable for solving robot path-planning p...Q-learning is a classical reinforcement learning method with broad applicability.It can respond effectively to environmental changes and provide flexible strategies,making it suitable for solving robot path-planning problems.However,Q-learning faces challenges in search and update efficiency.To address these issues,we propose an improved Q-learning(IQL)algorithm.We use an enhanced Ant Colony Optimization(ACO)algorithmto optimizeQtable initialization.We also introduce the UCH mechanism to refine the reward function and overcome the exploration dilemma.The IQL algorithm is extensively tested in three grid environments of different scales.The results validate the accuracy of themethod and demonstrate superior path-planning performance compared to traditional approaches.The algorithm reduces the number of trials required for convergence,improves learning efficiency,and enables faster adaptation to environmental changes.It also enhances stability and accuracy by reducing the standard deviation of trials to zero.On grid maps of different sizes,IQL achieves higher expected returns.Compared with the original Q-learning algorithm,IQL improves performance by 12.95%,18.28%,and 7.98% on 10*10,20*20,and 30*30 maps,respectively.The proposed algorithm has promising applications in robotics,path planning,intelligent transportation,aerospace,and game development.展开更多
Topological phases are governed by lattice symmetries,yet how different symmetry-breaking paths(SBPs)affect topological transitions remains insufficiently understood.Most existing studies rely on a single SBP,and addr...Topological phases are governed by lattice symmetries,yet how different symmetry-breaking paths(SBPs)affect topological transitions remains insufficiently understood.Most existing studies rely on a single SBP,and address only one bandgap,limiting independent control of multiple gaps.Here,we investigate multiple isolated Dirac points in a trefoil-knot-modified honeycomb lattice,and show that a single SBP generally inverts all relevant Dirac points simultaneously,whereas the tailored combinations of SBPs enable selective and programmable band inversion at targeted gaps.The excitation-dependent responses reveal strong modal selectivity.This capability is exploited to realize independently controllable multi-channel signal splitting,which is unattainable with a single SBP.The results enable SBPs as an effective design degree of freedom for programmable and reconfigurable topological elastic devices.展开更多
With the rapid development of intelligent navigation technology,efficient and safe path planning for mobile robots has become a core requirement.To address the challenges of complex dynamic environments,this paper pro...With the rapid development of intelligent navigation technology,efficient and safe path planning for mobile robots has become a core requirement.To address the challenges of complex dynamic environments,this paper proposes an intelligent path planning framework based on grid map modeling.First,an improved Safe and Smooth A*(SSA*)algorithm is employed for global path planning.By incorporating obstacle expansion and cornerpoint optimization,the proposed SSA*enhances the safety and smoothness of the planned path.Then,a Partitioned Dynamic Window Approach(PDWA)is integrated for local planning,which is triggered when dynamic or sudden static obstacles appear,enabling real-time obstacle avoidance and path adjustment.A unified objective function is constructed,considering path length,safety,and smoothness comprehensively.Multiple simulation experiments are conducted on typical port grid maps.The results demonstrate that the improved SSA*significantly reduces the number of expanded nodes and computation time in static environmentswhile generating smoother and safer paths.Meanwhile,the PDWA exhibits strong real-time performance and robustness in dynamic scenarios,achieving shorter paths and lower planning times compared to other graph search algorithms.The proposedmethodmaintains stable performance across maps of different scales and various port scenarios,verifying its practicality and potential for wider application.展开更多
Shenzhen,a major city in southern China,has experienced rapid advancements in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)technology,resulting in extensive logistics networks with thousands of daily flights.However,frequent disruptio...Shenzhen,a major city in southern China,has experienced rapid advancements in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)technology,resulting in extensive logistics networks with thousands of daily flights.However,frequent disruptions due to its subtropical monsoon climate,including typhoons and gusty winds,present ongoing challenges.Despite the growing focus on operational costs and third-party risks,research on low-altitude urban wind fields remains scarce.This study addresses this gap by integrating wind field analysis into UAV path planning,introducing key innovations to the classical model.First,UAV wind resistance and turbulence constraints are analyzed,mapping high-wind-speed and turbulence-prone zones in the airspace.Second,wind dynamics are incorporated into path planning by considering airspeed and groundspeed variation,optimizing waypoint selection and flight speed adjustments to improve overall energy efficiency.Additionally,a wind-aware Theta*algorithm is proposed,leveraging wind vectors to expedite search process,while Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)techniques are employed to calculate wind fields.A case study of Shenzhen,examining wind patterns over the past decade,demonstrates a 6.23%improvement in groundspeed and a 7.69%reduction in energy consumption compared to wind-agnostic models.This framework advances UAV logistics by enhancing route safety and energy efficiency,contributing to more cost-effective operations.展开更多
Efficient multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)path planning is crucial for improving mission completion efficiency in UAV operations.However,during the actual flight of UAVs,the flight time between nodes is always ...Efficient multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)path planning is crucial for improving mission completion efficiency in UAV operations.However,during the actual flight of UAVs,the flight time between nodes is always influenced by external factors,making the original path planning solution ineffective.In this paper,the multi-depot multi-UAV path planning problem with uncertain flight time is modeled as a robust optimization model with a budget uncertainty set.Then,the robust optimization model is transformed into a mixed integer linear programming model by the strong duality theorem,which makes the problem easy to solve.To effectively solve large-scale instances,a simulated annealing algorithm with a robust feasibility check(SA-RFC)is developed.The numerical experiment shows that the SA-RFC can find high-quality solutions within a few seconds.Moreover,the effect of the task location distribution,depot counts,and variations in robustness parameters on the robust optimization solution is analyzed by using Monte Carlo experiments.The results demonstrate that the proposed robust model can effectively reduce the risk of the UAV failing to return to the depot without significantly compromising the profit.展开更多
Pioneering initiatives in Yunnan Province are leveraging intangible cultural heritage to foster practical skills and create flexible employment,opening a sustainable path to prosperity and rural revitalization for peo...Pioneering initiatives in Yunnan Province are leveraging intangible cultural heritage to foster practical skills and create flexible employment,opening a sustainable path to prosperity and rural revitalization for people with disabilities.ACROSS China,provinces and municipalities have adopted a range of initiatives,based on local conditions to facilitate employment for people with disabilities.In southwest China’s Yunnan Province,home to many ethnic minorities,efforts have focused on integrating employment for disabled people with rural revitalization.展开更多
A safe and reliable path planning algorithm is fundamental for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to perform autonomous navigation tasks.However,a single global or local planning strategy cannot fully meet the requirement...A safe and reliable path planning algorithm is fundamental for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to perform autonomous navigation tasks.However,a single global or local planning strategy cannot fully meet the requirements of complex maritime environments.Global planning alone cannot effectively handle dynamic obstacles,while local planning alone may fall into local optima.To address these issues,this paper proposes a multi-dynamic-obstacle avoidance path planning method that integrates an improved A^(*)algorithm with the dynamic window approach(DWA).The traditional A^(*)algorithm often generates paths that are too close to obstacle boundaries and contain excessive turning points,whereas the traditional DWA tends to skirt densely clustered obstacles,resulting in longer routes and insufficient dynamic obstacle avoidance.To overcome these limitations,improved versions of both algorithms are developed.Key points extracted from the optimized A^(*)path are used as intermediate start-destination pairs for the improved DWA,and the weights of the DWA evaluation function are adjusted to achieve effective fusion.Furthermore,a multi-dynamic-obstacle avoidance strategy is designed for complex navigation scenarios.Simulation results demonstrate that the USV can adaptively switch between dynamic obstacle avoidance and path tracking based on obstacle distribution,validating the effectiveness of the proposed method.展开更多
Most existing path planning approaches rely on discrete expansions or localized heuristics that can lead to extended re-planning,inefficient detours,and limited adaptability to complex obstacle distributions.These iss...Most existing path planning approaches rely on discrete expansions or localized heuristics that can lead to extended re-planning,inefficient detours,and limited adaptability to complex obstacle distributions.These issues are particularly pronounced when navigating cluttered or large-scale environments that demand both global coverage and smooth trajectory generation.To address these challenges,this paper proposes a Wave Water Simulator(WWS)algorithm,leveraging a physically motivated wave equation to achieve inherently smooth,globally consistent path planning.In WWS,wavefront expansions naturally identify safe corridors while seamlessly avoiding local minima,and selective corridor focusing reduces computational overhead in large or dense maps.Comprehensive simulations and real-world validations-encompassing both indoor and outdoor scenarios-demonstrate that WWS reduces path length by 2%-13%compared to conventional methods,while preserving gentle curvature and robust obstacle clearance.Furthermore,WWS requires minimal parameter tuning across diverse domains,underscoring its broad applicability to warehouse robotics,field operations,and autonomous service vehicles.These findings confirm that the proposed wave-based framework not only bridges the gap between local heuristics and global coverage but also sets a promising direction for future extensions toward dynamic obstacle scenarios and multi-agent coordination.展开更多
This paper purports to expound a special(technical)notion of paths.A neglected fundamental fact(especially under indeterminism)is that the path-dependent direction of any diachronic outcome is backward,i.e.,later step...This paper purports to expound a special(technical)notion of paths.A neglected fundamental fact(especially under indeterminism)is that the path-dependent direction of any diachronic outcome is backward,i.e.,later steps depend on earlier ones successively,despite the ineradicable chance in their respective formation.In this paper,a token-oriented retrospective approach is proposed to overcome the limitation of the type-oriented approach in explaining path-related phenomena.My argument for the validity and utility of this approach is largely based on the elements of(PD),a definitional schema for diachronic sequences subject to a recursive counterfactual formula.I explore certain aspects of path individuation that have so far not been discussed,despite(PD)’s formal congeniality with Lewis’s‘causal chain’.Two basic patterns of path generation are examined:the first is for distinguishing actual vs possible branching paths,while the second introduces a metaphysical theme regarding the retrospective grounding of the causal status of an upstream event by its downstream(joint)effect.A central example of the paper,viz.,the Gobang game,is used to illustrate how the token-oriented approach works for path individuation.展开更多
An efficient algorithm for path planning is crucial for guiding autonomous surface vehicles(ASVs)through designated waypoints.However,current evaluations of ASV path planning mainly focus on comparing total path lengt...An efficient algorithm for path planning is crucial for guiding autonomous surface vehicles(ASVs)through designated waypoints.However,current evaluations of ASV path planning mainly focus on comparing total path lengths,using temporal models to estimate travel time,idealized integration of global and local motion planners,and omission of external environmental disturbances.These rudimentary criteria cannot adequately capture real-world operations.To address these shortcomings,this study introduces a simulation framework for evaluating navigation modules designed for ASVs.The proposed framework is implemented on a prototype ASV using the Robot Operating System(ROS)and the Gazebo simulation platform.The implementation processes replicated satellite images with the extended Kalman filter technique to acquire localized location data.Cost minimization for global trajectories is achieved through the application of Dijkstra and A*algorithms,while local obstacle avoidance is managed by the dynamic window approach algorithm.The results demonstrate the distinctions and intricacies of the metrics provided by the proposed simulation framework compared with the rudimentary criteria commonly utilized in conventional path planning works.展开更多
The ability of mobile robots to plan and execute a path is foundational to various path-planning challenges,particularly Coverage Path Planning.While this task has been typically tackled with classical algorithms,thes...The ability of mobile robots to plan and execute a path is foundational to various path-planning challenges,particularly Coverage Path Planning.While this task has been typically tackled with classical algorithms,these often struggle with flexibility and adaptability in unknown environments.On the other hand,recent advances in Reinforcement Learning offer promising approaches,yet a significant gap in the literature remains when it comes to generalization over a large number of parameters.This paper presents a unified,generalized framework for coverage path planning that leverages value-based deep reinforcement learning techniques.The novelty of the framework comes from the design of an observation space that accommodates different map sizes,an action masking scheme that guarantees safety and robustness while also serving as a learning-fromdemonstration technique during training,and a unique reward function that yields value functions that are size-invariant.These are coupled with a curriculum learning-based training strategy and parametric environment randomization,enabling the agent to tackle complete or partial coverage path planning with perfect or incomplete knowledge while generalizing to different map sizes,configurations,sensor payloads,and sub-tasks.Our empirical results show that the algorithm can perform zero-shot learning scenarios at a near-optimal level in environments that follow a similar distribution as during training,outperforming a greedy heuristic by sixfold.Furthermore,in out-of-distribution environments,our method surpasses existing state-of-the-art algorithms in most zero-shot and all few-shot scenarios,paving the way for generalizable and adaptable path-planning algorithms.展开更多
A three-dimensional path-planning approach has been developed to coordinate multiple fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)while avoiding collisions.The hierarchical path-planning architecture that divides the path...A three-dimensional path-planning approach has been developed to coordinate multiple fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)while avoiding collisions.The hierarchical path-planning architecture that divides the path-planning process into two layers is proposed by designing the velocityobstacle strategy for satisfying timeliness and effectiveness.The upper-level layer focuses on creating an efficient Dubins initial path considering the dynamic constraints of the fixed wing.Subsequently,the lower-level layer detects potential collisions and adjusts its flight paths to avoid collisions by using the threedimensional velocity obstacle method,which describes the maneuvering space of collision avoidance as the intersection space of half space.To further handle the dynamic and collisionavoidance constraints,a priority mechanism is designed to ensure that the adjusted path is still feasible for fixed-wing UAVs.Simulation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.展开更多
Dear Editor,Underactuated autonomous surface vessels(ASVs)are increasingly attracting attention from researchers because of a wide range of applications[1].Consequently,path following,a typical functionality for ASVs,...Dear Editor,Underactuated autonomous surface vessels(ASVs)are increasingly attracting attention from researchers because of a wide range of applications[1].Consequently,path following,a typical functionality for ASVs,has become a research focus[2].Despite the abundant study results,some challenging issues are still worthy of exploration and resolution,two of which are addressed in this letter.The first one is related to the guidance law.Currently,common guidance methods in the ASV field include the line-of-sight(LOS)guidance[3]and vector field(VF)guidance[4].The response quality of LOS guidance is highly related to the lookahead distance;a constant lookahead distance may result in undesired phenomena such as the singularity problem and the reduction of trajectory smoothness of ASVs(see[5]).To this end,several works have proposed modified LOS guidance laws(see[6]).Although the above modifications,as pointed out by[7],the VF guidance exhibits smaller crosstrack errors and better performances than the LOS guidance.However,the existing VF guidance is only available for straight lines and orbits rather than curved paths,a considerable obstacle that limits its practical application(see[8],[9]).Thus,the VF guidance for curved path following deserves more in-depth study.展开更多
Path planning is crucial for autonomous flight of fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs).However,due to the high-speed flight and complex control of fixed-wing UAVs,ensuring the feasibility and safety of planned pa...Path planning is crucial for autonomous flight of fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs).However,due to the high-speed flight and complex control of fixed-wing UAVs,ensuring the feasibility and safety of planned paths in complex environments is challenging.This paper proposes a feasible path planning algorithm named Closed-loop Radial Ray A^(*)(CL-RaA^(*)).The core components of the CL-RaA^(*)include an adaptive variable-step-size path search and a just-in-time expansion primitive.The former enables fast path search in complex environments,while the latter ensures the feasibility of the generated paths.By integrating these two components and conducting safety checks on the trajectories to be expanded,the CL-RaA^(*)can rapidly generate safe and feasible paths that satisfy the differential constraints that comprehensively consider the dynamics and control characteristics of six-degree-of-freedom fixed-wing UAVs.The final performance tests and simulation validations demonstrate that the CL-RaA^(*)can generate safe and feasible paths in various environments.Compared to feasible path planning algorithms that use the rapidlyexploring random trees,the CL-RaA^(*)not only ensures deterministic planning results in the same scenarios but also generates smoother feasible paths for fixed-wing UAVs more efficiently.In environments with dense grid obstacles,the feasible paths generated by the CL-RaA^(*)are more conducive to UAV tracking compared to those planned using Dubins curves.展开更多
文摘Discussions on Chinese modernization are offering African countries both conceptual inspiration and practical references as they explore their own sustainable development paths.
基金supported in part by 14th Five Year National Key R&D Program Project(Project Number:2023YFB3211001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62273339,U24A201397).
文摘Rapidly-exploring Random Tree(RRT)and its variants have become foundational in path-planning research,yet in complex three-dimensional off-road environments their uniform blind sampling and limited safety guarantees lead to slow convergence and force an unfavorable trade-off between path quality and traversal safety.To address these challenges,we introduce HS-APF-RRT*,a novel algorithm that fuses layered sampling,an enhanced Artificial Potential Field(APF),and a dynamic neighborhood-expansion mechanism.First,the workspace is hierarchically partitioned into macro,meso,and micro sampling layers,progressively biasing random samples toward safer,lower-energy regions.Second,we augment the traditional APF by incorporating a slope-dependent repulsive term,enabling stronger avoidance of steep obstacles.Third,a dynamic expansion strategy adaptively switches between 8 and 16 connected neighborhoods based on local obstacle density,striking an effective balance between search efficiency and collision-avoidance precision.In simulated off-road scenarios,HS-APF-RRT*is benchmarked against RRT*,GoalBiased RRT*,and APF-RRT*,and demonstrates significantly faster convergence,lower path-energy consumption,and enhanced safety margins.
基金support from the Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province,China(Grant No.KYCX24_2822)the Graduate Innovation Program of China University of Mining and Technology(Grant No.2024WLKXJ205)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52474157).
文摘Excavation causes stress redistribution and affects the stress path during the shearing process of rock.The shear strength of rock varies under different stress paths,and the presence of defects reduces the shear strength.To further investigate this phenomenon,this study investigates the shear behaviour of rocks with different shear surface integrities under the influenceof different stress paths through laboratory tests and numerical simulations.The results indicate that the shear strength depends on the stress path and a decrease in the shear surface integrity reduces the degree of dependence.The cohesion and friction angle of the Mohr‒Coulomb criterion decrease with weakening of the shear surface integrity.For different stress paths,the direct shear strength is always greater than that of other shear stress paths.The pattern of changes in the acoustic emission count and cumulative count indirectly reflectsthe above findings.Numerical simulations further indicate that the different principal stress states and normal suppression effects during the shearing process lead to changes in the factors of crack propagation,resulting in different mechanical behaviours under various stress paths.For rocks with different integrity levels,the main reason for the different path dependences of shear strength is that the size of the area affected by shear is different.Shear failure will concentrate on the shear plane when the normal inhibition effect is greater.This study explores the mechanism of rock shear behaviour,providing a theoretical basis for establishing more accurate constitutive models and strength criteria.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52374156).
文摘To address low learning efficiency and inadequate path safety in spraying robot navigation within complex obstacle-rich environments—with dense,dynamic,unpredictable obstacles challenging conventional methods—this paper proposes a hybrid algorithm integrating Q-learning and improved A*-Artificial Potential Field(A-APF).Centered on theQ-learning framework,the algorithmleverages safety-oriented guidance generated byA-APF and employs a dynamic coordination mechanism that adaptively balances exploration and exploitation.The proposed system comprises four core modules:(1)an environment modeling module that constructs grid-based obstacle maps;(2)an A-APF module that combines heuristic search from A*algorithm with repulsive force strategies from APF to generate guidance;(3)a Q-learning module that learns optimal state-action values(Q-values)through spraying robot-environment interaction and a reward function emphasizing path optimality and safety;and(4)a dynamic optimization module that ensures adaptive cooperation between Q-learning and A-APF through exploration rate control and environment-aware constraints.Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly enhances path safety in complex underground mining environments.Quantitative results indicate that,compared to the traditional Q-learning algorithm,the proposed method shortens training time by 42.95% and achieves a reduction in training failures from 78 to just 3.Compared to the static fusion algorithm,it further reduces both training time(by 10.78%)and training failures(by 50%),thereby improving overall training efficiency.
基金CHINA POSTDOCTORAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION(Grant No.2025M771925)Young Scientists Fund(C Class)(Grant No.32501636)Special Fund of Fundamental Scientific Research Business Expense for Higher School of Central Government(Grant No.2572025JT04).
文摘This paper introduces a novel nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithm called the Gekko japonicus algorithm.The algo-rithm draws inspiration mainly from the predation strategies and survival behaviors of the Gekko japonicus.The math-ematical model is developed by simulating various biological behaviors of the Gekko japonicus,such as hybrid loco-motion patterns,directional olfactory guidance,implicit group advantage tendencies,and the tail autotomy mechanism.By integrating multi-stage mutual constraints and dynamically adjusting parameters,GJA maintains an optimal balance between global exploration and local exploitation,thereby effectively solving complex optimization problems.To assess the performance of GJA,comparative analyses were performed against fourteen state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithms using the CEC2017 and CEC2022 benchmark test sets.Additionally,a Friedman test was performed on the experimen-tal results to assess the statistical significance of differences between various algorithms.And GJA was evaluated using multiple qualitative indicators,further confirming its superiority in exploration and exploitation.Finally,GJA was utilized to solve four engineering optimization problems and further implemented in robotic path planning to verify its practical applicability.Experimental results indicate that,compared to other high-performance algorithms,GJA demonstrates excep-tional performance as a powerful optimization algorithm in complex optimization problems.We make the code publicly available at:https://github.com/zhy1109/Gekko-japonicusalgorithm.
基金Financial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(GrantNo.52374123&51974144)Project of Liaoning Provincial Department of Education(GrantNo.LJKZ0340)Liaoning Revitalization Talents Program(Grant No.XLYC2211085)are greatly acknowledged.
文摘Q-learning is a classical reinforcement learning method with broad applicability.It can respond effectively to environmental changes and provide flexible strategies,making it suitable for solving robot path-planning problems.However,Q-learning faces challenges in search and update efficiency.To address these issues,we propose an improved Q-learning(IQL)algorithm.We use an enhanced Ant Colony Optimization(ACO)algorithmto optimizeQtable initialization.We also introduce the UCH mechanism to refine the reward function and overcome the exploration dilemma.The IQL algorithm is extensively tested in three grid environments of different scales.The results validate the accuracy of themethod and demonstrate superior path-planning performance compared to traditional approaches.The algorithm reduces the number of trials required for convergence,improves learning efficiency,and enables faster adaptation to environmental changes.It also enhances stability and accuracy by reducing the standard deviation of trials to zero.On grid maps of different sizes,IQL achieves higher expected returns.Compared with the original Q-learning algorithm,IQL improves performance by 12.95%,18.28%,and 7.98% on 10*10,20*20,and 30*30 maps,respectively.The proposed algorithm has promising applications in robotics,path planning,intelligent transportation,aerospace,and game development.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.12232015 and12572106)the National Key R&D Program of China(Nos.2024YFB3408700,2024YFB3408701,2024YFB3408703)the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province of China(No.2023-JC-YB-073)。
文摘Topological phases are governed by lattice symmetries,yet how different symmetry-breaking paths(SBPs)affect topological transitions remains insufficiently understood.Most existing studies rely on a single SBP,and address only one bandgap,limiting independent control of multiple gaps.Here,we investigate multiple isolated Dirac points in a trefoil-knot-modified honeycomb lattice,and show that a single SBP generally inverts all relevant Dirac points simultaneously,whereas the tailored combinations of SBPs enable selective and programmable band inversion at targeted gaps.The excitation-dependent responses reveal strong modal selectivity.This capability is exploited to realize independently controllable multi-channel signal splitting,which is unattainable with a single SBP.The results enable SBPs as an effective design degree of freedom for programmable and reconfigurable topological elastic devices.
文摘With the rapid development of intelligent navigation technology,efficient and safe path planning for mobile robots has become a core requirement.To address the challenges of complex dynamic environments,this paper proposes an intelligent path planning framework based on grid map modeling.First,an improved Safe and Smooth A*(SSA*)algorithm is employed for global path planning.By incorporating obstacle expansion and cornerpoint optimization,the proposed SSA*enhances the safety and smoothness of the planned path.Then,a Partitioned Dynamic Window Approach(PDWA)is integrated for local planning,which is triggered when dynamic or sudden static obstacles appear,enabling real-time obstacle avoidance and path adjustment.A unified objective function is constructed,considering path length,safety,and smoothness comprehensively.Multiple simulation experiments are conducted on typical port grid maps.The results demonstrate that the improved SSA*significantly reduces the number of expanded nodes and computation time in static environmentswhile generating smoother and safer paths.Meanwhile,the PDWA exhibits strong real-time performance and robustness in dynamic scenarios,achieving shorter paths and lower planning times compared to other graph search algorithms.The proposedmethodmaintains stable performance across maps of different scales and various port scenarios,verifying its practicality and potential for wider application.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.U2433214)。
文摘Shenzhen,a major city in southern China,has experienced rapid advancements in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)technology,resulting in extensive logistics networks with thousands of daily flights.However,frequent disruptions due to its subtropical monsoon climate,including typhoons and gusty winds,present ongoing challenges.Despite the growing focus on operational costs and third-party risks,research on low-altitude urban wind fields remains scarce.This study addresses this gap by integrating wind field analysis into UAV path planning,introducing key innovations to the classical model.First,UAV wind resistance and turbulence constraints are analyzed,mapping high-wind-speed and turbulence-prone zones in the airspace.Second,wind dynamics are incorporated into path planning by considering airspeed and groundspeed variation,optimizing waypoint selection and flight speed adjustments to improve overall energy efficiency.Additionally,a wind-aware Theta*algorithm is proposed,leveraging wind vectors to expedite search process,while Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)techniques are employed to calculate wind fields.A case study of Shenzhen,examining wind patterns over the past decade,demonstrates a 6.23%improvement in groundspeed and a 7.69%reduction in energy consumption compared to wind-agnostic models.This framework advances UAV logistics by enhancing route safety and energy efficiency,contributing to more cost-effective operations.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(72571094,72271076,71871079)。
文摘Efficient multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)path planning is crucial for improving mission completion efficiency in UAV operations.However,during the actual flight of UAVs,the flight time between nodes is always influenced by external factors,making the original path planning solution ineffective.In this paper,the multi-depot multi-UAV path planning problem with uncertain flight time is modeled as a robust optimization model with a budget uncertainty set.Then,the robust optimization model is transformed into a mixed integer linear programming model by the strong duality theorem,which makes the problem easy to solve.To effectively solve large-scale instances,a simulated annealing algorithm with a robust feasibility check(SA-RFC)is developed.The numerical experiment shows that the SA-RFC can find high-quality solutions within a few seconds.Moreover,the effect of the task location distribution,depot counts,and variations in robustness parameters on the robust optimization solution is analyzed by using Monte Carlo experiments.The results demonstrate that the proposed robust model can effectively reduce the risk of the UAV failing to return to the depot without significantly compromising the profit.
文摘Pioneering initiatives in Yunnan Province are leveraging intangible cultural heritage to foster practical skills and create flexible employment,opening a sustainable path to prosperity and rural revitalization for people with disabilities.ACROSS China,provinces and municipalities have adopted a range of initiatives,based on local conditions to facilitate employment for people with disabilities.In southwest China’s Yunnan Province,home to many ethnic minorities,efforts have focused on integrating employment for disabled people with rural revitalization.
基金supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China(62203299,62373246,62388101)the Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Deep-Sea Manned Vehicles(2024SKLDMV04)+1 种基金the Oceanic Interdisciplinary Program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University(SL2023MS007)the Startup Fund for Young Faculty at SJTU(24X010502929)。
文摘A safe and reliable path planning algorithm is fundamental for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to perform autonomous navigation tasks.However,a single global or local planning strategy cannot fully meet the requirements of complex maritime environments.Global planning alone cannot effectively handle dynamic obstacles,while local planning alone may fall into local optima.To address these issues,this paper proposes a multi-dynamic-obstacle avoidance path planning method that integrates an improved A^(*)algorithm with the dynamic window approach(DWA).The traditional A^(*)algorithm often generates paths that are too close to obstacle boundaries and contain excessive turning points,whereas the traditional DWA tends to skirt densely clustered obstacles,resulting in longer routes and insufficient dynamic obstacle avoidance.To overcome these limitations,improved versions of both algorithms are developed.Key points extracted from the optimized A^(*)path are used as intermediate start-destination pairs for the improved DWA,and the weights of the DWA evaluation function are adjusted to achieve effective fusion.Furthermore,a multi-dynamic-obstacle avoidance strategy is designed for complex navigation scenarios.Simulation results demonstrate that the USV can adaptively switch between dynamic obstacle avoidance and path tracking based on obstacle distribution,validating the effectiveness of the proposed method.
文摘Most existing path planning approaches rely on discrete expansions or localized heuristics that can lead to extended re-planning,inefficient detours,and limited adaptability to complex obstacle distributions.These issues are particularly pronounced when navigating cluttered or large-scale environments that demand both global coverage and smooth trajectory generation.To address these challenges,this paper proposes a Wave Water Simulator(WWS)algorithm,leveraging a physically motivated wave equation to achieve inherently smooth,globally consistent path planning.In WWS,wavefront expansions naturally identify safe corridors while seamlessly avoiding local minima,and selective corridor focusing reduces computational overhead in large or dense maps.Comprehensive simulations and real-world validations-encompassing both indoor and outdoor scenarios-demonstrate that WWS reduces path length by 2%-13%compared to conventional methods,while preserving gentle curvature and robust obstacle clearance.Furthermore,WWS requires minimal parameter tuning across diverse domains,underscoring its broad applicability to warehouse robotics,field operations,and autonomous service vehicles.These findings confirm that the proposed wave-based framework not only bridges the gap between local heuristics and global coverage but also sets a promising direction for future extensions toward dynamic obstacle scenarios and multi-agent coordination.
文摘This paper purports to expound a special(technical)notion of paths.A neglected fundamental fact(especially under indeterminism)is that the path-dependent direction of any diachronic outcome is backward,i.e.,later steps depend on earlier ones successively,despite the ineradicable chance in their respective formation.In this paper,a token-oriented retrospective approach is proposed to overcome the limitation of the type-oriented approach in explaining path-related phenomena.My argument for the validity and utility of this approach is largely based on the elements of(PD),a definitional schema for diachronic sequences subject to a recursive counterfactual formula.I explore certain aspects of path individuation that have so far not been discussed,despite(PD)’s formal congeniality with Lewis’s‘causal chain’.Two basic patterns of path generation are examined:the first is for distinguishing actual vs possible branching paths,while the second introduces a metaphysical theme regarding the retrospective grounding of the causal status of an upstream event by its downstream(joint)effect.A central example of the paper,viz.,the Gobang game,is used to illustrate how the token-oriented approach works for path individuation.
基金Supported by the funding from RMIT Internal Research Grant R1.
文摘An efficient algorithm for path planning is crucial for guiding autonomous surface vehicles(ASVs)through designated waypoints.However,current evaluations of ASV path planning mainly focus on comparing total path lengths,using temporal models to estimate travel time,idealized integration of global and local motion planners,and omission of external environmental disturbances.These rudimentary criteria cannot adequately capture real-world operations.To address these shortcomings,this study introduces a simulation framework for evaluating navigation modules designed for ASVs.The proposed framework is implemented on a prototype ASV using the Robot Operating System(ROS)and the Gazebo simulation platform.The implementation processes replicated satellite images with the extended Kalman filter technique to acquire localized location data.Cost minimization for global trajectories is achieved through the application of Dijkstra and A*algorithms,while local obstacle avoidance is managed by the dynamic window approach algorithm.The results demonstrate the distinctions and intricacies of the metrics provided by the proposed simulation framework compared with the rudimentary criteria commonly utilized in conventional path planning works.
基金supported by project RELIABLE(PTDC/EEI-AUT/3522/2020)R&D Unit SYSTEC-Base(UIDB001472020)+1 种基金Programmatic(UIDP001472020)funds-and Associate Laboratory Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems ARISE-LAP01122020funded by national funds through the FCT/MCTES(PIDDAC).
文摘The ability of mobile robots to plan and execute a path is foundational to various path-planning challenges,particularly Coverage Path Planning.While this task has been typically tackled with classical algorithms,these often struggle with flexibility and adaptability in unknown environments.On the other hand,recent advances in Reinforcement Learning offer promising approaches,yet a significant gap in the literature remains when it comes to generalization over a large number of parameters.This paper presents a unified,generalized framework for coverage path planning that leverages value-based deep reinforcement learning techniques.The novelty of the framework comes from the design of an observation space that accommodates different map sizes,an action masking scheme that guarantees safety and robustness while also serving as a learning-fromdemonstration technique during training,and a unique reward function that yields value functions that are size-invariant.These are coupled with a curriculum learning-based training strategy and parametric environment randomization,enabling the agent to tackle complete or partial coverage path planning with perfect or incomplete knowledge while generalizing to different map sizes,configurations,sensor payloads,and sub-tasks.Our empirical results show that the algorithm can perform zero-shot learning scenarios at a near-optimal level in environments that follow a similar distribution as during training,outperforming a greedy heuristic by sixfold.Furthermore,in out-of-distribution environments,our method surpasses existing state-of-the-art algorithms in most zero-shot and all few-shot scenarios,paving the way for generalizable and adaptable path-planning algorithms.
基金supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(52425211)BIT Research Fund Program for Young Scholars(XSQD-202201005).
文摘A three-dimensional path-planning approach has been developed to coordinate multiple fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)while avoiding collisions.The hierarchical path-planning architecture that divides the path-planning process into two layers is proposed by designing the velocityobstacle strategy for satisfying timeliness and effectiveness.The upper-level layer focuses on creating an efficient Dubins initial path considering the dynamic constraints of the fixed wing.Subsequently,the lower-level layer detects potential collisions and adjusts its flight paths to avoid collisions by using the threedimensional velocity obstacle method,which describes the maneuvering space of collision avoidance as the intersection space of half space.To further handle the dynamic and collisionavoidance constraints,a priority mechanism is designed to ensure that the adjusted path is still feasible for fixed-wing UAVs.Simulation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62473243,62421004)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Provincial Universities(3072024 GH0404)+1 种基金the Key Research and Development Projects in Hainan Province(ZDYF2024GXJS009)the“Spring Wild Goose”Plan Project of Heilongjiang Province(CYQN24071).
文摘Dear Editor,Underactuated autonomous surface vessels(ASVs)are increasingly attracting attention from researchers because of a wide range of applications[1].Consequently,path following,a typical functionality for ASVs,has become a research focus[2].Despite the abundant study results,some challenging issues are still worthy of exploration and resolution,two of which are addressed in this letter.The first one is related to the guidance law.Currently,common guidance methods in the ASV field include the line-of-sight(LOS)guidance[3]and vector field(VF)guidance[4].The response quality of LOS guidance is highly related to the lookahead distance;a constant lookahead distance may result in undesired phenomena such as the singularity problem and the reduction of trajectory smoothness of ASVs(see[5]).To this end,several works have proposed modified LOS guidance laws(see[6]).Although the above modifications,as pointed out by[7],the VF guidance exhibits smaller crosstrack errors and better performances than the LOS guidance.However,the existing VF guidance is only available for straight lines and orbits rather than curved paths,a considerable obstacle that limits its practical application(see[8],[9]).Thus,the VF guidance for curved path following deserves more in-depth study.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52272382)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China。
文摘Path planning is crucial for autonomous flight of fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs).However,due to the high-speed flight and complex control of fixed-wing UAVs,ensuring the feasibility and safety of planned paths in complex environments is challenging.This paper proposes a feasible path planning algorithm named Closed-loop Radial Ray A^(*)(CL-RaA^(*)).The core components of the CL-RaA^(*)include an adaptive variable-step-size path search and a just-in-time expansion primitive.The former enables fast path search in complex environments,while the latter ensures the feasibility of the generated paths.By integrating these two components and conducting safety checks on the trajectories to be expanded,the CL-RaA^(*)can rapidly generate safe and feasible paths that satisfy the differential constraints that comprehensively consider the dynamics and control characteristics of six-degree-of-freedom fixed-wing UAVs.The final performance tests and simulation validations demonstrate that the CL-RaA^(*)can generate safe and feasible paths in various environments.Compared to feasible path planning algorithms that use the rapidlyexploring random trees,the CL-RaA^(*)not only ensures deterministic planning results in the same scenarios but also generates smoother feasible paths for fixed-wing UAVs more efficiently.In environments with dense grid obstacles,the feasible paths generated by the CL-RaA^(*)are more conducive to UAV tracking compared to those planned using Dubins curves.
