Time-optimal and smooth constrained path planning for robot manipulators

In this paper a new approach to time-optimal and smooth constrained path (continuous path) planning for robot manipulators is presented. A suitable objective function to combine time-optimal and smooth trajectory planning is found. The optimization process involves first obtaining smooth and time-suboptimal joint paths by minimizing the objective function, and then contracting travelling time by scaling the resulting time intervals for time-optimal joint paths so that the resulting velocities or accelerations or joints at some knots of die paths are maximal within their limitations. The resulting joint paths are smooth, time-optimal with optimal velocity profiles and therefore suitable for robotic motion. The feasibility of this method is illustrated by simulation and experimental results with an RTX SCARA type robot