REAL-TIME GEOMETRIC MODELING USING MODELS IN AN ACTUATOR SPACE AND CARTESIAN SPACE

In this article, three models in two different spaces are compared for use with an image processing system working in real time. A static ge ometric model of a robot work-cell is held in computer memory as sever al solid polyhedra. This model is updated as new objects enter or leav e the workplace. Similar 2-D slices in joint space, spheres, and simpl e polyhedra are used to model these objects. The three models are comp ared for their ability to be updated with new information and for the efficiency of the whole system in accessing data concerning new object s. The system supplies data to a ''Path Planner.'' The path planner co ntains a geometric model of the static environment and a robot. The ro bot machinery structure is modeled as connected cylinders and spheres and the range of motion is quantized. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.