A new approach based on artificial potential function is proposed for the obstacle avoidance of redundant manipulators. Unlike the so-called "global" path planning method, which requires expensive computation for the path search before the manipulator starts to move, this new approach, 'local' path planning, researches the path in real-time using the local distance information. Previous use of artificial potential function has exhibited local minima in some complex environments. This thesis proposes a potential function that has no local minima even for a cluttered environment. This potential function has been implemented for the collision avoidance of a redundant robot in simulation also employ an algorithm that eliminates collisions with obstacles by calculating the repulsive potential exerted on links, based on the shortest distance to an object.
