ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Probabilistic roadmap

Okay kiddo, imagine you are lost in a big city and you need to find the quickest way to get home. You could just try different roads randomly, but that might take a long time. That's where something called a "probabilistic roadmap" comes in!

A probabilistic roadmap is a plan for finding the best way to get from one place to another. But instead of just guessing which roads to take, it uses math and probability to make a smart plan.

It works like this: first, the map looks at all the possible roads or paths you could take to get from where you are to where you want to go. Then it uses math to figure out which ones are most likely to be the fastest or easiest.

The map does this by looking at lots of different factors, like how busy each road is, how long it might take to travel down each, and what kinds of obstacles you might encounter (like construction or traffic lights).

Once the map has figured out the best possible routes, it creates a kind of "roadmap" that shows you which paths to take. This roadmap gives you the best chance of getting from where you are to where you want to go as easily and quickly as possible!

So, just like a treasure map showing the best way to get to the treasure, a probabilistic roadmap shows the best way to get from one place to another. And all thanks to math and probability!