AiVibePath Planning (Motion Planning)
Path planning, or motion planning, computes a collision-free route for a robot arm or mobile robot from a start to a goal; trajectory generation then adds timing, velocities and accelerations within the robot's limits.
Planning is often done in configuration space, where each point represents a full set of joint values and obstacles become forbidden regions. Search-based algorithms such as Dijkstra's algorithm and A-star explore discretised spaces, sampling-based planners such as RRT and PRM randomly sample configurations and connect them, and optimisation-based methods refine paths to be smooth and short. Mobile robots plan over 2D or 3D maps and replan when obstacles appear.
Industrial controllers interpolate between taught points using joint, linear and circular motions, while automatic planning is needed for bin picking, vision-guided handling, AMR navigation and cells with changing obstacles. Libraries such as MoveIt for manipulators and Nav2 for mobile robots implement many of these planners.
Planners rely on accurate models of the robot, tool and surroundings, and unmodelled obstacles remain a hazard. Planning time, path quality and cycle time must be balanced. Collision-free planning is a productivity function, not a safety function, so personnel protection still relies on safety-rated devices and functions.
Key points
- Finds a collision-free path; trajectory generation adds timing
- Approaches include search-based, sampling-based and optimisation methods
- Needed for bin picking, vision-guided handling and mobile navigation
- Planning does not replace safety-rated protective measures
Where AiVibe comes in
AiVibe designs and manufactures the AiAmbA AI Factory, whose edge devices and AI agents let people talk to robot controllers in plain language. Robotics perception is an AiAmbA use case, and robot safety functions follow ISO 10218 and never depend on the AI layer.
Related terms
- Inverse KinematicsRobotics & Physical AI
- Bin PickingRobotics & Physical AI
- Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR)Robotics & Physical AI
- Robot Operating System (ROS)Robotics & Physical AI
- Robot SimulationRobotics & Physical AI