Metrics for path planning of reconfigurable robots in uneven terrain

In this chapter we present metrics for rough terrain motion planning used by our hierarchical planner. We employ a two-stage planning approach which allows us to use different cost functions for an initial path search and a detailed motion planning step. To quickly find an initial path we use a roughness quantification and the operating limits of the robot, which allow a fast assessment of the drivability. We then refine the initial path in rough regions of the environment by planning the complete robot states. To determine the desired robot configurations our newly developed metrics consider the systems actuators, its safety and the time required for traversal. Real world experiments prove the validity and feasibility of the cost functions.