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Intelligent obstacle avoidance path planning method for picking manipulator combined with artificial potential field method

Zheng Fang (China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China)
Xifeng Liang (China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China)

Industrial Robot

ISSN: 0143-991x

Article publication date: 13 January 2022

Issue publication date: 30 June 2022

445

Abstract

Purpose

The results of obstacle avoidance path planning for the manipulator using artificial potential field (APF) method contain a large number of path nodes, which reduce the efficiency of manipulators. This paper aims to propose a new intelligent obstacle avoidance path planning method for picking robot to improve the efficiency of manipulators.

Design/methodology/approach

To improve the efficiency of the robot, this paper proposes a new intelligent obstacle avoidance path planning method for picking robot. In this method, we present a snake-tongue algorithm based on slope-type potential field and combine the snake-tongue algorithm with genetic algorithm (GA) and reinforcement learning (RL) to reduce the path length and the number of path nodes in the path planning results.

Findings

Simulation experiments were conducted with tomato string picking manipulator. The results showed that the path length is reduced from 4.1 to 2.979 m, the number of nodes is reduced from 31 to 3 and the working time of the robot is reduced from 87.35 to 37.12 s, after APF method combined with GA and RL.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new improved method of APF, and combines it with GA and RL. The experimental results show that the new intelligent obstacle avoidance path planning method proposed in this paper is beneficial to improve the efficiency of the robotic arm.

Graphical abstract

Figure 1 According to principles of bionics, we propose a new path search method, snake-tongue algorithm, based on a slope-type potential field. At the same time, we use genetic algorithm to strengthen the ability of the artificial potential field method for path searching, so that it can complete the path searching in a variety of complex obstacle distribution situations with shorter path searching results. Reinforcement learning is used to reduce the number of path nodes, which is good for improving the efficiency of robot work. The use of genetic algorithm and reinforcement learning lays the foundation for intelligent control.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Funding: This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51505454) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (31971796).

Citation

Fang, Z. and Liang, X. (2022), "Intelligent obstacle avoidance path planning method for picking manipulator combined with artificial potential field method", Industrial Robot, Vol. 49 No. 5, pp. 835-850. https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-09-2021-0194

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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