Optimal Pathfinding with A-Star Algorithms (eBook)

Definitive Reference for Developers and Engineers

Richard Johnson (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
250 Seiten
HiTeX Press (Verlag)
978-0-00-106457-7 (ISBN)

Infos

'Optimal Pathfinding with A-Star Algorithms'
'Optimal Pathfinding with A-Star Algorithms' delivers a comprehensive and rigorous exploration of modern pathfinding theory and practice, centering on the powerful A* family of search algorithms. The book systematically builds foundational knowledge, covering problem formulation, essential graph theory, complexity analysis, and the principles of both uninformed and informed search. Through clear explanations and detailed mathematical formalism, it lays the groundwork necessary for understanding what distinguishes A*-based approaches from other search strategies, making it a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and advanced students alike.
Moving far beyond the canonical A* algorithm, the text delves into advanced heuristic construction, algorithmic optimizations, and scalable deployment in distributed or resource-constrained settings. Readers are guided through topics such as memory-efficient heuristic design, dynamic replanning, hierarchical and parallel implementations, and the intricacies of multi-agent and multi-objective pathfinding. This breadth ensures relevance to a wide spectrum of real-world applications-from robotics and autonomous vehicles to intelligent game agents and logistics systems-while maintaining a deep focus on optimality, completeness, and computational efficiency.
In its final chapters, the book turns to pressing challenges at the forefront of the field, including security, robustness in adversarial environments, experimental benchmarking, and the integration of learning-based techniques. Emerging directions like quantum and probabilistic computing, energy-efficient planning, and human-in-the-loop systems are thoroughly surveyed, reflecting the ongoing evolution and multidisciplinary reach of A*-driven research. With its combination of theoretical rigor and practical insight, 'Optimal Pathfinding with A-Star Algorithms' stands as an indispensable guide for those seeking mastery over the science and engineering of intelligent search.

Textauszug

Chapter 1
Theoretical Foundations of Pathfinding

What truly makes a path optimal, and how do complex environments challenge even the quickest search algorithms? In this chapter, we’ll uncover the architectural pillars of computational pathfinding, tracing the origins of efficient navigation from abstract theory to practical constraints. Whether charting unknown territory or analyzing the limits of automation, these foundational principles shape every intelligent system that must decide ’where next?’.

1.1 Problem Formulation in Pathfinding

Formalizing the problem formulation in pathfinding is fundamental to designing, analyzing, and implementing effective search algorithms. At its core, a pathfinding problem can be described as a search problem over a defined state space, where the objective is to find a path from an initial state to a goal state under specified constraints. This section systematically defines the essential elements of the problem including the search space representation, the definition of valid states and actions, and the clear statement of objectives, providing a foundation for subsequent algorithmic development and theoretical examination.

The search space is a mathematical model that encapsulates all possible configurations or states that the agent can occupy, along with the transitions between them. Formally, a search space is a tuple

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 9.6.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Informatik ► Programmiersprachen / -werkzeuge
• ISBN-10: 0-00-106457-6 / 0001064576
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-106457-7 / 9780001064577