Path Tracking Algorithms for Non-Convex Waiter Motion Problem

Originally, motion planning was concerned with problems such as how to move an object from a start to a goal position without hitting anything. Later, it has extended with complications such as kinematics, dynamics, uncertainties, and also with some optimality purpose such as minimum-time, minimum-energy planning. The paper presents a time-optimal approach for robotic manipulators. A special area of motion planning is the waiter motion problem, in which a tablet is moved from one place to another as fastas possible, avoiding the slip of the object that is placed upon it. The presented method uses the direct transcription approach for the waiter problem, which means a optimization problem is formed in order to obtain a time-optimal control for the robot. Problem formulation is extended with a non-convex jerk constraints to avoid unwanted oscillations during the motion. The possible local and global solver approaches for the presented formulation are discussed, and the waiter motion problem is validated by real-life experimental results with a 6-DoF robotic arm.