COMMANDING MOBILE ROBOTS WITH CHAOS

Abstract

The work presented in this paper deals with the problem of commanding a mobile robot either in unknown or known environment. We study the implemention of chaotic behavior on a mobile robot: a simulated version of KHEPERA mini-robot. Chaotic trajectories are executed using state variables of the Lorenz system as input for a robot controlled through two independent active wheels. The high unpredictability of motion trajectory and the fast scanning of the entire robot workspace make this control strategy interesting to deal with the problem of exploration of terrain for vigilance, search or cleaning purposes. The mathematical models of the Lorenz system and the mobile robot are detailled, and the control strategy is described. Results of simulation tests and its analysis, and concluding discussions close the paper.