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Here is my use case:

I have a two dimensional grid and each grid space is either open or blocked. I know the entire grid beforehand and as I traverse the grid I explore in a radius of 10 units in all directions that are not obstructed by an obstacle.

I would like to 100% explore the grid in the shortest amount of time. I'm having trouble coming up with a way to do so.

Example: Here is a simple example that does not take into account the explore radius. The grid could look like anything though. In this simple example the question is when exploring how no i know to turn down the middle corridor on the right so I don't need to backtrack later.

XXXXXXXXX
XOOOOOOOX
XOOOOOOOX
XOXXXXXXX
XOOOOOOOX
XXXXXXXXX

Thoughts I have so far.

1.) Overlay a set of nodes in a grid at a given resolution lets say 10 grid spaces apart.

2.)Process the entire grid for the explore radius from those nodes.

3.)Check the grid for anywhere that has not been explored, add additional nodes to make 100% exploration.

4.)Prune the grid for nodes that can be removed that do not take away from exploration.

5.) Use a Minimum spanning path algorithm on the remaining nodes and use that path for the exploration.

I would love an easier way to accomplish this. Any algorithms or approaches that would simplify?

Greg Gacura
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1 Answers1

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I cannot quite follow your algorithm so perhaps mine is the same but here's what I would do, in plain language.

From the point to test, scan a ring around it. You should find at least one open space. If not, the point is boxed and the result is "confined".

With the open spaces you found, do the same thing, this time ignoring spaces that were found earlier. This will again yield a number of new open points on the rectangle around the currently evaluated space.

Each scan round yields a collection of new open points that are evaluated using the same function again, until all return confined or one reaches the outer square that is considered freedom.

Martin Maat
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