Linear Motion Control of an Underactuated Spherical Mobile Robot

Abstract

Due to the nonholonomic and underactutated properties of spherical robot, to realize its steady motion control is usually difficult. This paper presents a linear motion control method for an underactuated spherical robot. The linear motion dynamic model of the spherical robot is deduced with Euler-Lagrange method, which is a second order, nonlinear differential system with two coupled variables. Without any linearization a single-input multiple-output PID controller to realize the position control and pendulum angle control simultaneously is designed. Simulation results about the position stabilization and path tracking control are provided separately to show the control effects of the proposed controller.