A novel method for the real-time globally optimal path planning of mobile robots is proposed
based on the ant colony system (ACS) algorithm. This method includes three steps: the first
step is utilizing the MAKLINK graph theory to establish the free space model of the mobile
robot, the second step is utilizing the Dijkstra algorithm to find a sub-optimal collision-free
path, and the third step is utilizing the ACS algorithm to optimize the location of the sub-
optimal path so as to generate the globally optimal path. The result of computer simulation …