A simple path search strategy based on calculation of free sections of motions

A heuristic method for motion planning in configurations with many degrees of freedom is described and experimentally evaluated. The method is based on a collision detection algorithm which determines free segments of a given motion; in a first step, an initial motion which may not be collision-free, and which is a straight-line segment in configuration space is analyzed. This initial motion is refined using a scheme for generating appropriate via-points, and applying the mentioned collision detection algorithm to the sub-segments connecting the initial point to the via-point and the via-point to the goal point. In an evaluation, the method is applied to motion coordination for disks in the plane, motion coordination for cooperating manipulators in two and three dimensions, and to the computation of grip motions.