The Impact of Social Force Model Parameters On Frontier-Based Exploration Performance

Autonomous exploration is one of the most challenging tasks in mobile robotics, particularly in environments that contain dynamic obstacles and require fully autonomous mapping without human intervention. This study addresses the dual problem of enabling navigation in the presence of potential static obstacles and achieving autonomous map building. To solve this, we utilize the Social Force Model (SFM), which offers a behavior-based approach suitable for dynamic and uncertain environments. The objective of this research is to investigate how different SFM parameters—Gain (ks), Radius (rR), and Effective range (ψs)—influence the effectiveness of autonomous exploration. Experiments were conducted using a TurtleBot3 robot in a simulated 155 m² environment, where various parameter combinations were tested. Evaluation metrics included mapping completion, failure types, travel distance, and exploration duration. Results indicate that tuning the SFM parameters significantly affects the robot's ability to explore autonomously and avoid obstacles. Extremely low parameter values led to collisions, while excessively high values caused unstable or inefficient behavior. The Radius parameter had a major impact on spatial awareness, and moderate effective range values contributed to stable tracking. Furthermore, higher frontier sensing latency resulted in longer exploration times. This study provides practical insights into the sensitivity of SFM parameters and offers guidance for optimizing navigation systems for fully autonomous exploration in both simulated and real-world settings.