Is it possible to use an any-time global plannner in move_base

edit

Hi all,

I am wondering if there is some way to implement an any-time path planning algoritm (like ARA*) in move_base. I'm aware of how to implement a plugin for the global planner, for example, A*. But A* is not any-time (that is, A* finds a path and then sends it to the local planner). Any-time algorithms start with an acceptable initial solution and publish it to the local planner. Then, several cycles of refinement of that solution are carried out and, at the end of that cycle a new (improved) solution is published and substitutes the previous one. This allows one to interleave path-planning (global planner) with trajectory execution (local planner) in such a way that, while the local planner is working in its local trajectory, the global planner continues by refining its previous (non optimal) path. Is it possible to have this global-planner/local-planner interleaving with move_base? How?

Many thanks, Juan