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Multiple Mobile Robotic Formation Control Based on Differential Flatness

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Emerging Technologies for Developing Countries (AFRICATEK 2022)

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Abstract

There are numerous applications whereby multi-robot cooperative systems are more useful than using a single robot. However, for a cooperative system to implement tasks accurately, an effective formation controller is essential. This paper presents a formation control method that is based on Differential Flatness theory to improve coordination control of a model-based cooperative multiple mobile robotic system. The Differential Flatness characterisation of the team robots allows for the linearization of the system to a stable linear equivalent. Also, the Flatness theory has the advantage of simplifying the trajectory planning task because nonlinear differential equations can be converted to algebraic equation, hence there is no need to integrate robot model differential equations. Each robot is represented by a reduced number of variables which greatly reduces the computational cost especially when dealing with multiple robots that can otherwise entail solving large robotic model differential equations. Simulations using a formation of three differentially driven mobile robots in a leader-follower formation, is used to validate the cooperative formation controller proposed in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central University of Technology, Freestate, South Africa

    Lintle Tsiu & Elisha Didam Markus

Authors
  1. Lintle Tsiu
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  2. Elisha Didam Markus
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Correspondence to Lintle Tsiu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Central University of Technology, Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

    Muthoni Masinde

  2. University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

    Antoine Bagula

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© 2023 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering

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Tsiu, L., Markus, E.D. (2023). Multiple Mobile Robotic Formation Control Based on Differential Flatness. In: Masinde, M., Bagula, A. (eds) Emerging Technologies for Developing Countries. AFRICATEK 2022. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 503. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35883-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35883-8_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-35882-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-35883-8

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