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Multiple robots formation manoeuvring and collision avoidance strategy

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Abstract

This paper presents a multiple robots formation manoeuvring and its collision avoidance strategy. The direction priority sequential selection algorithm is employed to achieve the raw path, and a new algorithm is then proposed to calculate the turningcompliant waypoints supporting the multi-robot formation manoeuvre. The collision avoidance strategy based on the formation control is presented to translate the collision avoidance problem into the stability problem of the formation. The extension-decompositionaggregation scheme is next applied to solve the formation control problem and subsequently achieve the collision avoidance during the formation manoeuvre. Simulation study finally shows that the collision avoidance problem can be conveniently solved if the stability of the constructed formation including unidentified objects can be satisfied.

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Article 27 August 2016

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Power Station Automation Technology, School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, China

    Ao-Lei Yang, Min-Rui Fei, Li Liu & Xiao-Wei Tu

  2. School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AH, UK

    Wasif Naeem

Authors
  1. Ao-Lei Yang
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  2. Wasif Naeem
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  3. Min-Rui Fei
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  4. Li Liu
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  5. Xiao-Wei Tu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wasif Naeem.

Additional information

This work was supported by the EPSRC under UK-China Science Bridge (No. EP/G042594/1), Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization under Shanghai Industry-University-Research Collaboration (No.CXY-2013-71), the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality under “Yangfan Program” (No. 14YF1408600), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61403244).

Recommended by Guest Editor Yang Song

Ao-Lei Yang received the B. Eng. degree in electronic engineering from Hubei University of Technology, China in 2004, received the M. Sc. degree in control theory and control engineering from Shanghai University, China in 2009, and received the Ph.D. degree in intelligent system and control from Queen’s University Belfast, UK in 2012. He is currently a lecturer with the School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, China. He has authored over 20 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers.

His research interests include cooperative control of multiagents, formation flight control of unmanned aerial vehicles, optimal and robust control, large-scale dynamic system control, and wireless networked control systems.

Wasif Naeem received the B. Eng. degree in electrical engineering from Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw (NED) University, Pakistan in 1998, received the M. Sc. degree in electrical engineering from King Fahd University, Saudi Arabia in 2001, and received the Ph.D. degree in mechanical and marine engineering from the University of Plymouth, UK in 2004. He is currently a lecturer with the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen’s University Belfast, UK. He was a recipient of the Michael Richey Medal and the Denny Medal in 2008 and 2010 by the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Institution of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, respectively. He is a member of the IFAC technical committee on marine systems and has served on the committee of a number of international conferences. He has authored over 50 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers and two IET book chapters.

His research interests include optimal and robust control, system identification, multivehicle formation control, and systems engineering.

Min-Rui Fei received the B. Sc., M. Sc. and Ph. D. degrees all from Shanghai University, China in 1984, 1992, and 1997, respectively. He is a professor at Shanghai University, vice chairman of Chinese Association for System Simulation, and standing director of China Instrument & Control Society.

His research interests include networked advanced control and system implementation, distributed and fieldbus control systems, key technology and applications in multi-fieldbus conversion and performance evaluation, as well as the application of virtual reality and digital simulation in industry.

Li Liu received the B. Sc. degree from Qufu Normal University, China in 2004, the M. Sc. degree from Dalian Maritime University, China in 2007. She is currently a Ph.D. degree candidate at the School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, China. She is also a lecturer at the School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Ludong University, China.

Her research interests include machine vision and image processing.

Xiao-Wei Tu received the Ph.D. degree from University of Technology of Compiegne (UTC), France in 1987. He worked as professor in UTC, and later he became a researcher in French National Research Center (CNRS) in early 1990s. Since 1997, he has been working also as a researcher and R&D project manager in different Canadian research institutes. He is currently a professor at the School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, China.

His research interests include robotic vision, industrial inspection, and industrial automation.

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Yang, AL., Naeem, W., Fei, MR. et al. Multiple robots formation manoeuvring and collision avoidance strategy. Int. J. Autom. Comput. 14, 696–705 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11633-016-1030-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11633-016-1030-2

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