Real-Time　obstacle　avoidance　is　one　of　the　key　issues　to　successful　applications　of　mobile　robot　in　the　complex　and　unknown　environment.　However,　now　commonly　used　local　obstacle　avoidance　strategies　have　some　deficiencies.　For　example,　VFH　is　superior　to　path　planning,　but　it　is　not　optimal　when　encountering　with　a　obstacle　which　suddenly　appears　in　front　of　the　mobile　robot.　By　the　development　of　sensor　technology,　laser　rangefinders　are　now　widely　used　in　the　navigation　of　the　mobile　robot,　which　are　more　accurate　than　ultrasonic　sensors.　Therefore,　some　new　algorithms　have　been　proposed　to　achieve　the　purpose　of　obstacle　avoidance　and　navigation.　This　paper　proposes　a　concise　and　stable　obstacle　avoidance　method　named　VFHF　which　is　based　on　the　laser　rangefinder　and　combines　VFH　and　VFF　to　compensate　for　the　close-distance　obstacle　avoidance　which　is　a　inherent　defect　of　VFH.　Considering　the　feature　of　the　laser　rangefinder,　the　methods　of　computation　and　local　path　planning　strategies　of　both　VFH　and　VFF　have　been　modified.　Experiments　have　demonstrated　the　validity　and　the　technical　feasibility　of　the　proposed　methods.　©　2016　IEEE.