Traditional A ∗ algorithms plan paths that run the risk of hitting obstacles and create too many redundant nodes. For these problems, a path planning with improved search 8-neighborhood node strategy A ∗ algorithm is proposed. Firstly, the node search condition is improved in the A ∗ algorithm so that the obtained nodes maintain a safe distance from the surrounding obstacle nodes. Secondly, the redundant nodes on the improved path are removed using the vertical distance limit method, and the critical nodes are retained. Finally, a smooth path is obtained by fitting a B spline curve to the key nodes to achieve a smooth path. By conducting several experiments and comparisons in multiple obstacle map environments of different scales. The results show that the proposed improved A ∗ algorithm, compared to the traditional A ∗ algorithm, maintains an average of 0. 46 path nodes to obstacle nodes and reduces path nodes by an average of 66. 8%, effectively improving the efficiency and safety of the robot.