Abstract
A design optimization approach to robot path planning in a two dimensional workplace is presented. Obstacles are represented as a series of rectangular regions and collision detection is performed by an operation similar to clipping in computer graphics. The feasible design space is approximated by a discrete set of robot arm and gripper positions. Control is applied directly through the angular motion of each link. Feasible positions which are located between the initial and final robot link positions are grouped into stages. A dynamic programming algorithm is applied to locate the best state within each stage which minimizes the overall path length. An example is presented involving a three link planar manipulator. Extensions to three dimensional robot path planning and real time control in a dynamically changing workplace are discussed.