Multi-robot path-planning using artificial bee colony optimization algorithm

Path-planning is an interesting problem in mobile robotics. This paper proposes an alternative approach to path-planning of mobile robots using the artificial bee colony (ABC) optimization algorithm. The problem undertaken here attempts to determine the trajectory of motion of the robots from predefined starting positions to fixed goal positions in the world map with an ultimate objective to minimize the path length of all the robots. A local trajectory planning scheme has been developed with ABC optimization algorithm to optimally obtain the next positions of all the robots in the world map from their current positions, so that the paths to be developed locally for n-robots are sufficiently small with minimum spacing with the obstacles, if any, in the world map. Experiments reveal that the proposed optimization scheme outperforms two well-known algorithms with respect to standard metrics, called average total path deviation and average uncovered target distance.