In this paper, a hybrid approach organized in four phases is proposed to solve the multi-objective trajectory planning problem for industrial robots. In the first phase, a transcription of the original problem into a standard multi-objective parametric optimization problem is achieved by adopting an adequate parametrization scheme for the continuous robot configuration variables. Then, in the second phase, a global search is performed using a population-based search metaheuristic in order to build a first approximation of the Pareto front (PF). In the third phase, a local search is applied in the neighborhood of each solution of the PF approximation using a deterministic algorithm in order to generate new solutions. Finally, in the fourth phase, results of the global and local searches are gathered and postprocessed using a multi-objective direct search method to enhance the quality of compromise solutions and to converge toward the true optimal PF. By combining different optimization techniques, we intend not only to improve the overall search mechanism of the optimization strategy but also the resulting hybrid algorithm should keep the robustness of the population-based algorithm while enjoying the theoretical properties of convergence of the deterministic component. Also, the proposed approach is modular and flexible, and it can be implemented in different ways according to the applied techniques in the different phases. In this paper, we illustrate the efficiency of the hybrid framework by considering different techniques available in various numerical optimization libraries which are combined judiciously and tested on various case studies.

Effective and accurate high-degree spline interpolation is still a challenging task in today’s applications. Higher degree spline interpolation is not so commonly used, because it requires the knowledge of higher order derivatives at the nodes of a function on a given mesh.

In this article, our goal is to demonstrate the continuity of the piecewise polynomials and their derivatives at the connecting points, obtained with a method initially developed by Beaudoin (1998, 2003) and Beauchemin (2003). This new method, involving the discrete Fourier transform (DFT/FFT), leads to higher degree spline interpolation for equally spaced data on an interval $[0,T]$. To do this, we analyze the singularities that may occur when solving the system of equations that enables the construction of splines of any degree. We also note an important difference between the odd-degree splines and even-degree splines. These results prove that Beaudoin and Beauchemin’s method leads to spline interpolation of any degree and that this new method could eventually be used to improve the accuracy of spline interpolation in traditional problems.

Motivated by the magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) simulation for Tokamaks with Isogeometric analysis, we present splines defined over a rectangular mesh with a complex topological structure, i.e., with extraordinary vertices. These splines are piecewise polynomial functions of bi-degree (d,d) and parameter continuity. And we compute their dimension and exhibit basis functions called Hermite bases for bicubic spline spaces. We investigate their potential applications for solving partial differential equations (PDEs) over a physical domain in the framework of Isogeometric analysis. For instance, we analyze the property of approximation of these spline spaces for the L 2-norm; we show that the optimal approximation order and numerical convergence rates are reached by setting a proper parameterization, although the fact that the basis functions are singular at extraordinary vertices.

This paper presents a novel motion planning approach inspired by the Dynamic Programming (DP) applicable to multi degree of freedom robots (mobile or stationary) and autonomous vehicles. The proposed discrete–time algorithm enables a robot to reach its destination through an arbitrary obstacle field in the fewest number of time steps possible while minimizing a secondary objective function. Furthermore, the resulting optimal trajectory is guaranteed to be globally optimal while incorporating state constraints such as velocity, acceleration, and jerk limits. The optimal trajectories furnished by the algorithm may be further updated in real time to accommodate changes in the obstacle field and/or cost function. The algorithm is proven to terminate in a finite number of steps without its computational complexity increasing with the type or number of obstacles. The effectiveness of the global and replanning algorithms are demonstrated on a planar mobile robot with three degrees of freedom subject to velocity and acceleration limits. The computational complexity of the two algorithms are also compared to that of an A*–type search.

Le travail traite de l'utilisation de patchs composites pour le renforcement des structures métalliques. De nombreuses études ont été menées dans le passé sur la réparation des structures vieillissantes déjà fissurées, notamment dans le domaine de l'aéronautique. La voie étudiée ici consiste à prévenir l'apparition des fissures en collant un patch composite sur la zone à soulager ou dans son voisinage. Par analogie aux solutions adoptées en réparation, une première approche du renforcement étudiée ici consiste à coller un patch de forme carrée. Ensuite, une liberté est donnée à la géométrie du patch. Une courbe spline est choisie afin de modéliser son périmètre. Un algorithme génétique est utilisé pour optimiser les positions des points de contrôle de la courbe, ainsi que l'orientation des plis du composite. L'optimisation est appliquée dans le cas d'un essai de traction sur une plaque trouée. La solution permet une déviation des contraintes loin de la zone sensible et montre l'intérêt d'un patch de géométrie optimisée par rapport à un patch de forme carrée.

In this paper we study a free boundary problem appearing inelectromagnetism and its numerical approximation by means ofboundary integral methods. Once the problem is written in aequivalent integro-differential form, with the arcparametrization of the boundary as unknown, we analyse it inthis new setting. Then we consider Galerkin and collocationmethods with trigonometric polynomial and spline curves asapproximate solutions.