Formation control of mobile robots with obstacle avoidance using fuzzy artificial potential field

Abstract

In this paper, a combined formation control of nonholonomic wheeled mobile robots (WMR) is presented. In this method, the sliding mode control (SMC) strategy is used to solve the tracking problem of any robot agent. In our scenario, we assume the static and dynamic obstacles in the working environment. For guaranteeing obstacle avoidance, we use the artificial potential field method in which the coefficient of attractive and repulsive functions is determined by a Mamdani fuzzy system. Moreover, in order to maintain the desired formation considered between WMRs a fuzzy system is used to control the position and orientation of any agent with respect to the desired formation. The efficiency and simplicity of proposed control scheme has been proved by simulation on different situations.