pantor/ruckig

Motion Generation for Robots and Machines. Real-time. Jerk-constrained. Time-optimal.

What it solves

Ruckig solves the problem of generating smooth, time-optimal trajectories for robots and machines in real-time. It allows hardware to react instantaneously to sensor input by calculating paths that respect strict kinematic limits on velocity, acceleration, and jerk, preventing abrupt movements that could damage equipment or cause instability.

How it works

The library calculates a trajectory from a current state to a target waypoint (including position, velocity, and acceleration) on-the-fly. It uses a mathematical approach to guarantee time-optimal solutions for state-to-state motions. For more complex paths, it can jointly calculate the path and its time parametrization. The system operates in a control loop where the current state is updated at each discrete time step, and the library provides the new kinematic state for the hardware to execute.

Who it’s for

It is designed for robotics engineers and developers building machines that require high-precision, smooth motion control and real-time responsiveness.

Highlights

  • Jerk-Limited Motion: Ensures smooth transitions by constraining jerk, in addition to velocity and acceleration.
  • Time-Optimal: Guarantees the fastest possible movement between states while staying within limits.
  • Real-Time Capable: Designed to run within high-frequency control loops with no dependencies.
  • Flexible Integration: Supports a dynamic number of degrees of freedom (DoFs) and integrates with custom vector types, including Eigen.
  • Waypoint Support: Ability to define intermediate positions for complex path following.

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