Time-optimal interception of objects moving along topologically varying paths

In this paper, the online planning of gross robot motion for target interception is considered within the context of an active prediction planning and execution (APPE) strategy. The objective is to plan online an optimal robot trajectory such that the robot end-effector and the object will arrive simultaneously at a planned pre-grasping rendezvous-point. Three issues must be addressed: rendezvous-point planning, optimal robot trajectory planning, and re-planning in response to gross changes in the predicted target-path. Solutions to the first two problems are reviewed, and the third issue is considered herein. A strategy which determines when re-planning is necessary, modifies the rendezvous-point, and re-plans a "patch-trajectory" is proposed.