Control for teams of kinematic unicycle-like and skid-steering mobile robots with restricted inputs: Analysis and applications

Abstract

In the so-called intelligent spaces it could be more effective to use multiple simpler and cheaper mobile robots instead of one complex and expensive robot. In this regard the present study develops some basic control tools for managing a team of robots in various practical tasks. In particular this study presents simple controllers for achieving trajectory tracking for a single robot and for teams of kinematic unicycle-like and skid-steering mobile robots. The control approach is based on the concepts of virtual robot and virtual team. The underlying stabilizing controllers are applied to specific situations in team control and ensures effective task accomplishment under physical constraints. In particular we are developing control strategies for establishing a convoy formation of a group of vehicles with restricted inputs. The performance of the proposed controllers are demonstrated by means of numerical and simulation results.