An MPC framework for efficient navigation of mobile robots in cluttered environments

We present a model predictive control (MPC) framework for efficient navigation of mobile robots in cluttered environments. The proposed approach integrates a finite-segment shortest path planner into the finite-horizon trajectory optimization of the MPC. This formulation ensures convergence to dynamically selected targets and guarantees collision avoidance, even under general nonlinear dynamics and cluttered environments. The approach is validated through hardware experiments on a small ground robot, where a human operator dynamically assigns target locations. The robot successfully navigated through complex environments and reached new targets within 2-3 seconds.