Adaptation of Algorithms Implemented on Mobile Robots Formation Control

Abstract

Navigation is one of the most debated problems in the area of Robotics. From the very simplest to the most complex applications, the challenges faced in navigation are unique and have to be addressed individually based on the situation. For instance, the Automated Guided Vehicles used in material transferring (AGVs) share a different domain of governing parameters, to an outdoor navigator in surveillance or search and rescue operations. This becomes the sole study of an individual entity to provide answers to the fundamental navigation problems observed everywhere, accepting their own uniqueness. This research study is based on testing Algorithms implemented in a Leader-Follower Robot platform to examine the performance of robots in non-holonomically constrained path planning. The control algorithms in study were, Proportional Controller based model, Proportional, Integration and Derivative (PID) Controller based model and Leader‘s velocity based PID controller model. These control models were implemented on a multi-agent robot system developed using an Arduino based single board computer platform and assisted by a set of quadrature encoders and an ultrasonic range sensor. The Leader robot is equipped with a high accurate line sensor and is directed to navigate on a line and the follower always reads the instructions communicated by the leader via a RF (Radio Frequency) link on heading direction and speed. The testing was done on three trajectories; straight line, curved symmetric track, and curved asymmetric track. According to the instructions received, the follower tries to mimic the leader’s trajectory. During the implementation stage, it was revealed that adaptability of the third control algorithm remains more accurate than the others. The standard deviation of the error records also remains very low in the third algorithm compared to the other tested algorithms. Results propose that the prospective industrial applications would satisfy the implementation of the velocity based PID controller model algorithm, because of the better performance characteristics displayed during the implementation.