Socially-Aware Reactive Obstacle Avoidance Strategy Based on Limit Cycle

Abstract

The letter proposes a combination of ideas to support navigation for a mobile robot across dynamic environments, cluttered with obstacles and populated by human beings. The combination of the classical potential field methods and limit cycle based approach with an innovative shape for the limit cycles, generates paths which are reasonably short, smooth and comfortable to follow (which can be very important for assistive robots), and it respects the safety and psychological comfort of the bystanders by staying clear of their private space.