Articulated Robot Path Planning Using Joint-Angle Interference Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional path planning for articulated robots is hindered by the need to exhaustively determine self-interference across numerous link combinations, leading to increased time requirements for interference determination and path planning, resulting in longer startup times and increased takt time.
Innovation Solution
An interference determination apparatus that acquires and calculates region information based on the angles of rotation of specific joints, distinguishing between interference and non-interference regions, allowing for efficient determination of self- and obstacle interference by simplifying these regions to reduce computational complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If exhaustive determination is performed for each combination of links to ensure accurate interference detection, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration space is segmented into multiple regions (interference regions and non-interference regions) based on the angles of rotation of specific joints. This segmentation allows the system to determine interference by checking which region the current posture falls into, rather than performing exhaustive checks for all link combinations, thereby reducing computation time while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The interference regions and non-interference regions are pre-calculated and stored based on the robot's link configurations and joint rotation ranges. This preliminary action eliminates the need for real-time exhaustive computation during path planning, as the system only needs to query the pre-computed region information to determine interference status.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of links in the articulated robot is increased to enhance functionality, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of managing complexity through exhaustive link combination checks, the system segments the configuration space into regions based on specific joint angles. This approach reduces the computational burden by focusing on critical joint configurations that determine interference, regardless of the total number of links in the robot.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter space from individual link positions to joint rotation angles. By defining interference regions in terms of joint angle combinations rather than individual link positions, the system simplifies the representation of complex multi-link configurations and reduces the computational complexity associated with increased robot functionality.
3Manufacturing precision
If exhaustive link combination determination is performed to ensure path planning accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Interference regions and non-interference regions are pre-calculated based on the robot's link configurations and joint rotation ranges. This preliminary computation ensures path planning accuracy by establishing accurate interference boundaries beforehand, while enabling fast query-based determination during actual path planning operations, thus improving productivity without sacrificing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration space is divided into discrete interference and non-interference regions, allowing the path planning system to efficiently determine valid paths by checking region membership rather than performing exhaustive link combination analysis. This segmentation maintains planning accuracy while significantly reducing computation time.
Data Source
AI summary
An interference determination apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires region information indicating regions set in a configuration space in which the angles of rotation of two or three specific joints of an articulated robot are indicated by coordinate axes, the regions including an interference region in which the robot is determined to interfere with itself or an obstacle based on the magnitudes of the angles of rotation of the specific joints, and a non-interference region in which the robot is determined to not interfere with itself or an obstacle based on the magnitudes of the angles of rotation of specific joints; and a determination unit that determines whether the robot interferes with itself or an obstacle, by determining whether coordinates indicating a posture determined by the angles of rotation of the specific joints belong to the interference region or the non-interference region indicated by the acquired region information.