A robot optimization motion planning technique using a refined initial reference path. When a new path is to be computed using motion optimization, a candidate reference path is selected from storage which was previously computed and which has similar start and goal points and collision avoidance environment constraints to the new path. The candidate reference path is adjusted at all state points along its length to account for the difference between the start and goal points of the new path compared to those of the previously-computed path, to create the initial reference path. The initial reference path, adjusted to fit the start and goal points, is then used as a starting state for the motion optimization computation. By using an initial reference path which is similar to the final converged new path, the optimization computation converges more quickly than if a naïve initial reference path is used.

A robot optimization motion planning technique using a refined initial reference path. When a new path is to be computed using motion optimization, a candidate reference path is selected from storage which was previously computed and which has similar start and goal points and collision avoidance environment constraints to the new path. The candidate reference path is adjusted at all state points along its length to account for the difference between the start and goal points of the new path compared to those of the previously-computed path, to create the initial reference path. The initial reference path, adjusted to fit the start and goal points, is then used as a starting state for the motion optimization computation. By using an initial reference path which is similar to the final converged new path, the optimization computation converges more quickly than if a naive initial reference path is used.