Introduction to Motion Planning
Goal of Motion Planning
Generate motion plans (e.g., geometric path, time-parametrized trajectory,
sequence of motion commands) from high-level goals, e.g.:
- Compute collision-free path for a welding robot.
- Compute motion sequence of motion paths to assemble a product.
- Compute sequence of motion commands for a mobile robot to navigate through
a building.
Basic problem:
Compute a collision-free path for a rigid or articulated object
(the "robot") among static obstacles.
Inputs:
- Geometry of the obstacles and the robot
- Kinematics of the robot
- Initial and goal configurations of the robot
Outputs:
- Continuous sequence of collision-free configurations
connecting the initail and goal configurations
Examples:
Some extensions of the basic problem:
- Moving obstacles
- Multiple robots
- movable objects
- No or partial prior knowledge of environment
- Uncertainty in sensing and control
- Nonholonomic constraints
- Dynamic constraints. Optimal planning
- Visibility constraints
Applications
- Graphic animation: video games, movie generation
Automatic Animation of Human Arm Motions.
Autonomous Animated Characters.
- Manufacturing: robot programming (welding, painting, assembly),
robot placement,
part orientation.
- Design for manufacturing, servicing, and recycling.
- Maintenance planning
General Motors example (car compartment).
General Electric example (aircraft engine).
- Design of pipe systems and cable harness.
- Autonomous vehicles: transportation, tractors, planetary
exploration, military.
- Medical surgery: implants, radiosurgery.
Cyberknife system.
Crossfiring at a brain tumor.
- Molecular biology: drug design.
Computer-assisted pharmaceutical drug design.
