Path planning using an information grid map for safe navigation

Conventional path planning methods have focused on the generation of an optimal shortest path to the goal. However, this optimal path cannot guarantee safe navigation, because it can often lead to a narrow area. Therefore, we propose a Coulomb's law-based safe path planning method that uses an information grid map. The information grid map includes four types of information: occupied, empty, guide, and dangerous areas. A safe path can be generated away from the dangerous area and close to the guide area by repulsive and attractive forces, respectively. Experiments and simulations show that the proposed method can generate paths inside the safe region and is useful for safe navigation.