Systematic Constraint Formulation and Collision-Free Trajectory Planning Using Space-Time Graphs of Convex Sets

Abstract: In this paper, we create optimal, collision-free, time-dependent trajectories through cluttered dynamic environments. The many spatial and temporal constraints make finding an initial guess for a numerical solver difficult. Graphs of Convex Sets (GCS) and the recently developed Space-Time Graphs of Convex Sets formulation (ST-GCS) enable us to generate optimal minimum distance collision-free trajectories without providing an initial guess to the solver. We also explore the derivation of general GCS-compatible constraints and document an intuitive strategy for adapting general constraints to the framework. We show that ST-GCS produces equivalent trajectories to the standard GCS formulation when the environment is static. We then show ST-GCS operating in dynamic environments to find minimum distance collision-free trajectories.