Adaptive Spanning Tree-Based Coverage Path Planning for Autonomous Mobile Robots in Dynamic Environments
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
IEEE Access
Abstract
In this study, a unique approach is presented to improve autonomous robots’ path planning abilities, especially in dynamic environments. We propose a Dynamic Spanning Tree Coverage (D-STC) algorithm designed to handle both stationary and moving obstacles using a depth-first search (DFS) methodology. The workspace is partitioned into cells, and a spanning tree guides the robot’s motion to ensure full coverage while dynamically avoiding obstacles detected using onboard LIDAR sensors. The effectiveness of D-STC was evaluated across three dynamic scenarios based on relative speeds of the robot and obstacles. Simulation results show that the proposed method achieves a coverage efficiency of up to 98.25% when the robot is faster, with a minimal overlap rate of 3.06% and only 412 steps required to cover a workspace of 20 x 20 grid. Even in more challenging scenarios with faster-moving obstacles, D-STC maintains robust performance with 96.52% coverage and 11.2% overlap. These results demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly enhances coverage quality, reduces redundancy, and adapts effectively to dynamic environments, making it suitable for real-world applications such as surveillance, cleaning, and agricultural robotics.
First Page
102931
Last Page
102950
DOI
10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3578338
Publication Date
1-1-2025
Recommended Citation
Jayalakshmi, K. P.; Nair, Vishnu G.; Sathish, Dayakshini; and Guruprasad, K. R., "Adaptive Spanning Tree-Based Coverage Path Planning for Autonomous Mobile Robots in Dynamic Environments" (2025). Open Access archive. 14487.
https://impressions.manipal.edu/open-access-archive/14487