Path Planning and Smoothing for 4WDs Hydraulic Heavy-Duty Field Robots

This paper discusses the path planning and path-following control for a four wheel drive (4WD), steer-articulated boom lift driven by hydraulic actuators. The environment is assumed to be both static and known. The path planning will be done in two phases, where the first one finds a crude, collision-free path accounting for the vehicle dimensions, and this path will be smoothed with a path smoothing algorithm to satisfy the kinematic and dynamic constraints imposed by the vehicle and its actuators. The path smoothing algorithm will be chosen from several candidates by using a simulated test scenario. Then, the simulation results will be used to verify the path planners feasibility in heavy-duty, four-wheel-steered field robots having hydraulic actuators and high inertia.

Automated summary

This paper discusses the path planning and path-following control for a four-wheel drive, steer-articulated boom lift driven by hydraulic actuators. The environment is assumed to be both static and known. The path planning is done in two phases, with the first phase finding a crude, collision-free path considering the vehicle dimensions, and the path is then smoothed with a path-smoothing algorithm to meet the kinematic and dynamic constraints imposed by the vehicle and its actuators. The selection of the path-smoothing algorithm is done through simulations, and the results are used to verify the feasibility of the path planner in heavy-duty, four-wheel-steered field robots with hydraulic actuators and high inertia.