Simulation Research on Path Planning of Manipulator Based on RRT* Improved Algorithm

Path planning refers to searching for a collision-free path between the starting point and the target point according to some evaluation criteria in the environment with obstacles, which has always been the research focus in the field of robotics. In recent years, RRT* algorithm has attractedmuch attention because it can realize the gradual optimal solution of path planning, but it still has some shortcomings such as slow convergence speed, low path utilization rate and unsmooth path. In addition, unlike the path planning of mobile robots, which only needs to consider the path collision, the mechanical arm belongs to a series robot, and the links are clamped to each other, which directly affects the pose of the end effector through the change of the joint angle, so it is relatively more complicated to consider the rod collision. The main work of this paper is to propose an improved algorithm I-RRT* based on RRT *, and apply it to the path planning of manipulator. The simulation results show that this algorithm can well complete the task of path planning of manipulator, and it is advanced compared with traditional algorithms.