Backstepping based Trajectory Tracking Control of a Class of Reconfigurable Mobile Robot

Abstract

Reconfigurable robots are a type of robots, which can change their morphology during operation. The extra capacity to change configuration, make them suitable for numerous engineering applications like cleaning, spacecraft maintenance, surveillance etc. As the configuration of these robots can change in between operations, the mathematical model also changes abruptly. This in turn give rise to modelling uncertainties, which can impact the closed loop performance, if not taken care of. Backstepping technique is an efficient design procedure for rigorously stabilizing and controlling strict feedback nonlinear systems that finds many applications in fields like process control, automation, robotics, the aerospace industry and other real-world disciplines. This work offers a robust backstepping controller architecture for a class of reconfigurable mobile robots that use differential drive technology to operate. The suggested method's utility is proven in a simulated scenario.