Kinodynamic Motion Planning for Collaborative Object Transportation by Multiple Mobile Manipulators

Abstract

Abstract This work proposes a kinodynamic motion planning technique for collaborative object transportation by multiple mobile manipulator robots (MMRs) in dynamic environments. A global path planner computes a linear piece-wise path connecting the start to the goal location. We proposed an algorithm that aids the path planner in defining the narrow regions between the static obstacles and enhances the feasibility of the global path. We formulate a novel online motion planning technique for trajectory generation, minimizing the control efforts in a receding horizon manner. The motion planner plans the trajectory for finite-time horizons, considering the kinodynamic constraints and the static and dynamic obstacles. The motion planner jointly plans for the mobile bases and the arms to utilize the locomotion capability of the mobile base and the manipulation capability of the arm efficiently. We have introduced a convex cone based approach to avoid self-collision of the formation by modifying the MMR’s admissible state without imposing any additional constraints. Numerical simulations and hardware experiments showcase the efficiency of the proposed approach.