An Improved Chicken Swarm Optimization Algorithm and its Application in Robot Path Planning

Chicken swarm optimization (CSO) algorithm is one of very effective intelligence optimization algorithms, which has good performance in solving global optimization problems (GOPs). However, the CSO algorithm performs relatively poorly in complex GOPs for some weaknesses, which results the iteration easily fall into a local minimum. An improved chicken swarm optimization algorithm (ICSO) is proposed and applied in robot path planning. Firstly, an improved search strategy with Levy flight characteristics is introduced in the hen's location update formula, which helps to increase the perturbation of the proposed algorithm and the diversity of the population. Secondly, a nonlinear weight reduction strategy is added in the chicken's position update formula, which may enhance the chicken's self-learning ability. Finally, multiple sets of unconstrained functions are used and a robot simulation experimental environment is established to test the ICSO algorithm. The numerical results show that, comparing to particle swarm optimization (PSO) and basic chicken swarm optimization (CSO), the ICSO algorithm has better convergence accuracy and stability for unconstrained optimization, and has stronger search capability in the robot path planning.