Beyond Geometric Path Planning: Paradigms and Algorithms for Modern Robotics

Abstract

The development of algorithms to quickly compute collision-free paths for high dimensional systems was a major achievement in the field of motion planning in the 2000s. Despite this progress, recent advances in affordable robot sensors, actuators, and systems have changed the robotics playing field, making many of the assumptions of geometric path planning obsolete. This talk will present new mathematical paradigms and algorithms that are beginning to address some of the issues faced in robotics today, as well as those that are likely to be faced in the future. Specific issues identified in this talk include optimality, real-time performance, interpretability, problems involving contact, and integration with perception and learning.