MovementSystem

MovementSystem refers to the software or hardware subsystem responsible for computing and executing the motion of entities within a system, transforming high-level goals into trajectories and motor commands. In robotics, animation, simulation, and game development, a MovementSystem coordinates sensing, planning, and actuation to achieve smooth, feasible movement while respecting physical and environmental constraints.

Its typical architecture comprises state estimation and input handling, a path or motion planner, trajectory generation, and a controller with feedback. The planning layer determines a feasible path or motion that satisfies constraints such as nonholonomic drive limitations, obstacles, and energy budgets. The trajectory generator converts the path into time-stamped waypoints or continuous curves. The controller tracks the trajectory using a feedback loop, adjusting commands to accommodate model error and disturbances. The system also performs collision avoidance and smoothing to ensure safe, natural movement.

Common methods include grid-based pathfinding (A*, Dijkstra), sampling-based motion planning (RRT, RRT*), and optimization-based planners (trajectory optimization, MPC). For execution, kinematic models (holonomic or nonholonomic) and dynamic models are used, with control strategies such as PID, LQR, or Model Predictive Control. Sensor data and state estimation feed back into the planning loop to adapt to changes.

Applications include autonomous vehicles, mobile service robots, robotic arms, and character locomotion in video games. MovementSystems must handle real-time constraints, uncertainty, dynamic obstacles, and multi-agent coordination. Limitations include computational complexity, model inaccuracies, and the need to balance optimality with responsiveness.

Related concepts include pathfinding, motion planning, kinematics, dynamics, trajectory optimization, and control theory.