Slope-Aware Motion Planning for Autonomous Robots: Efficient Path Optimization in 3D Terrains

Abstract

Efficient path planning in complex, uneven terrains poses significant challenges for autonomous mobile robots, especially when vertical displacement and energy consumption must be considered. Standard 2D motion planning algorithms often neglect the impact of slope, resulting in suboptimal paths that fail to account for the additional effort required to navigate steep inclines. This paper presents a novel slope-aware motion planning algorithm that incorporates a cost function designed to minimize both the path length and energy expenditure by considering terrain slopes. The algorithm was tested in various 3D terrain scenarios, including single-peak, multi-peak, and random terrains. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in generating paths that avoid steep areas while balancing energy efficiency and coverage. Comparisons between the slope-aware and standard path planning approaches show significant improvements in energy consumption, with the robot successfully navigating challenging terrains with minimal energy use. This approach has promising applications in autonomous navigation for search and rescue missions, agricultural robotics, and planetary exploration, where energy conservation is critical.