Time-optimal trajectory planning for robot manipulators based on the distortive configuration space method

This paper presents an approach to plan an obstacle avoiding path of time-optimal trajectory for robot manipulator. It is assumed that initial and final postures of the manipulator are specified and the manipulator is in the stationary state in both postures. The trajectory which minimizes the motion time from the initial state to the final state without any collisions against obstacles, is planned. The method to generate a collision free path for time-optimal trajectory is described. Then, we propose a method of using an advanced configuration space, the distortive configuration space method, to plan the path. When the configuration space has been obtained, it is then transformed with artificial potentials into the distortive one. The path for time-optimal trajectory is represented by a straight segment in the distortive space