Distance calculation for imminent collision indication in a robot System simulation

Abstract

SUMMARY Minimum distance algorithms may be used in robotic simulation programs to provide the user with the distances of approach of the manipulator to obstacles in the work environment; this is important for task planning using graphical simulation of configuration maps, and for the implementation of automatic detection of (imminent) collision in robot task development Systems that are based on a graphical simulation facility. In this paper we present algorithms that may be used for the calculation of distances between objects, not necessarily convex, that are made up of unions of convex polyhedra and cylindrically shaped objects (where the cross-section of the cylinder may be ellipsoidal, rather than circular).