Trajectory optimization is the process of designing a trajectory that minimizes (or maximizes) some measure of performance while satisfying a set of constraints. Generally speaking, trajectory optimization is a technique for computing an open-loop solution to an optimal control problem. It is often used for systems where computing the full closed-loop solution is not required, impractical or impossible. If a trajectory optimization problem can be solved at a rate given by the inverse of the Lipschitz constant, then it can be used iteratively to generate a closed-loop solution in the sense of Caratheodory. If only the first step of the trajectory is executed for an infinite-horizon problem, then this is known as Model Predictive Control (MPC). Although the idea of trajectory optimization has been around for hundreds of years (calculus of variations, brachistochrone problem), it only became practical for real-world problems with the advent of the computer. Many of the original applications of trajectory optimization were in the aerospace industry, computing rocket and missile launch trajectories. More recently, trajectory optimization has also been used in a wide variety of industrial process and robotics applications.
History Trajectory optimization first showed up in 1697, with the introduction of the brachystochrone problem: find the shape of a wire such that a bead sliding along it will move between two points in the minimum time. The interesting thing about this problem is that it is optimizing over a curve (the shape of the wire), rather than a single number. The most famous of the solutions was computed using calculus of variations. In the 1950s, the digital computer started to make trajectory optimization practical for solving real-world problems. The first optimal control approaches grew out of the calculus of variations, based on the research of Gilbert Ames Bliss and Bryson in America, and Pontryagin in Russia. Pontryagin's maximum principle is of particular note. These early researchers created the foundation of what we now call indirect methods for trajectory optimization. Much of the early work in trajectory optimization was focused on computing rocket thrust profiles, both in a vacuum and in the atmosphere. This early research discovered many basic principles that are still used today. Another successful application was the climb to altitude trajectories for the early jet aircraft. Because of the high drag associated with the transonic drag region and the low thrust of early jet aircraft, trajectory optimization was the key to maximizing climb to altitude performance. Optimal control based trajectories were responsible for some of the world records. In these situations, the pilot followed a Mach versus altitude schedule based on optimal control solutions. One of the important early problems in trajectory optimization was that of the singular arc, where Pontryagin's maximum principle fails to yield a complete solution. An example of a problem with singular control is the optimization of the thrust of a missile flying at a constant altitude and which is launched at low speed. Here the problem is one of a bang-bang control at maximum possible thrust until the singular arc is reached. Then the solution to the singular control provides a lower variable thrust until burnout. At that point bang-bang control provides that the control or thrust go to its minimum value of zero. This solution is the foundation of the boost-sustain rocket motor profile widely used today to maximize missile performance.
Applications There are a wide variety of applications for trajectory optimization, primarily in robotics: industry, manipulation, walking, path-planning, and aerospace. It can also be used for modeling and estimation.
Robotic manipulators Depending on the configuration, open-chain robotic manipulators require a degree of trajectory optimization. For instance, a robotic arm with 7 joints and 7 links (7-DOF) is a redundant system where one cartesian position of an end-effector can correspond to an infinite number of joint angle positions, thus this redundancy can be used to optimize a trajectory to, for example, avoid any obstacles in the workspace or minimize the torque in the joints. Computing the desired path for robotic manipulators is useful in industrial manufacturing.
Manufacturing and processing Trajectory optimization is used in manufacturing, particularly for controlling chemical processes. It has also been proposed for liquids processing, such as for evaporators or for desalination.
Walking robots There are a variety of different applications for trajectory optimization within the field of walking robotics. For example, one paper used trajectory optimization of bipedal gaits on a simple model to show that walking is energetically favorable for moving at a low speed and running is energetically favorable for moving at a high speed. Like in many other applications, trajectory optimization can be used to compute a nominal trajectory, around which a stabilizing controller is built. Trajectory optimization can be applied in detailed motion planning complex humanoid robots, such as Atlas. Finally, trajectory optimization can be used for path-planning of robots with complicated dynamics constraints, using reduced complexity models.
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