A cognitive-based routing algorithm for crowd dynamics under incomplete or even incorrect map knowledge

Abstract

A cognitive-based routing algorithm is proposed. Concepts like local form and path algorithms are developed. Unlike current mainstream routing algorithms assume that all people know everything about the environment, the proposed algorithm allows people to have a complete or incomplete map knowledge and built up their own map knowledge in a piecemeal fashion. Using a hospital floor plan as the scenario, numerical experiments are conducted by assuming pedestrians to have different levels of map knowledge. Results show that reasonable routes could be frequently found even if pedestrians only have an incomplete knowledge of the network. Also pedestrians generally need to traverse more rooms if having zero or less map knowledge. Hence the proposed algorithm’s effectiveness is validated to some extent.