Accelerating Signal-Temporal-Logic-Based Task and Motion Planning of Bipedal Navigation using Benders Decomposition

Abstract: Task and motion planning under Signal Temporal Logic constraints is known to be NP-hard. A common class of approaches formulates these hybrid problems, which involve discrete task scheduling and continuous motion planning, as mixed-integer programs (MIP). However, in applications for bipedal locomotion, introduction of non-convex constraints such as kinematic reachability and footstep rotation exacerbates the computational complexity of MIPs. In this work, we present a method based on Benders Decomposition to address scenarios where solving the entire monolithic optimization problem is prohibitively intractable. Benders Decomposition proposes an iterative cutting-plane technique that partitions the problem into a master problem to prototype a plan that meets the task specification, and a series of subproblems for kinematics and dynamics feasibility checks. Our experiments demonstrate that this method achieves faster planning compared to alternative algorithms for solving the resulting optimization program with nonlinear constraints.