Generation of adjacent configurations for a collision-free path planning of manipulators

Abstract

SUMMARY In this paper an algorithm is proposed for the problem of path planning of redundant manipulators among obstacles by using a suitable formulation for robot configurations and path strategy. In particular robotic manipulators have been modelled by using reference points on the kinematic chain and their Cartesian coordinates description. The path planning has been formulated as an optimization problem for the determination of adjacent configurations and the path among obstacles with minimum manipulator displacement. The fully Cartesian coordinates description has been useful for the economy of the numerical procedure and for the constraints formulation of link interference and obstacles avoidance constraints. Some examples are reported which prove the practical feasibility of the path planning procedure, and the numerical results have been tested as applicable to industrial robots through easy programming because of the concept of adjacent configurations.