A Gaussian wavelet network-based robust adaptive tracking controller for a wheeled mobile robot with unknown wheel slips

Abstract

In this paper, a robust adaptive tracking controller is proposed for a nonholonomic wheeled mobile robot (WMR) in the presence of unknown wheel slips. The role of the Gaussian wavelet network in this proposed controller is to approximate unknown smooth nonlinear dynamic functions due to no prior knowledge of the dynamic parameters of the WMR. In addition, one robust law is employed at the kinematic level so as to compensate the harmful effects of the unknown wheel slips, and another robust law is used at the dynamic level to overcome total uncertainties caused by dynamic parameter variations, external disturbances, etc. The stability of the whole closed-loop control system is proved in accordance with Lyapunov theory and Barbalat's lemma. Ultimately, the simulation results are shown in comparison with those of another control method under the same condition to confirm the validity and efficiency of this proposed control method.