Real-Time Heuristic Search: First Results

Abstract

Existing heuristic search algorithms are not applicable to real-time applications because they cannot commit to a move before an entire solution is found. We present a special case of minimax lookahead search to handle this problem, and an analog of alpha-beta pruning that significantly improves the efficiency of the algorithm. In addition, we present a new algorithm, called R.ea1-Time-A *, for searching when actions must actually be executed, as opposed to merely simulated. Finally, we examine the nature of the tradeoff between computation and execution cost.