Framework for simulation-based control design evaluation for a snake robot as an example of a multibody robotic system

• Published in: Multibody system dynamics Vol. 55; no. 4; pp. 375 - 397
• Main Authors: Sibilska-Mroziewicz, Anna, Możaryn, Jakub, Hameed, Ayesha, Fernández, María Molina, Ordys, Andrzej
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-08-2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Automotive Engineering; Center of gravity; Control; Control algorithms; Control systems design; Control theory; Design analysis; Dynamical Systems; Electrical Engineering; Engineering; Fault tolerance; Industrial applications; Mechanical Engineering; Multibody systems; Nonlinear dynamics; Optimization; Robot control; Robot dynamics; Robots; Simulation; Tracking control; Trajectory planning; Vibration; Approximate path planning; Point-to-point tracking; 3D visualization; Modeling and simulation; Motion and control
• ISSN: 1384-5640; 1573-272X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11044-022-09830-3

Snake robots are the multibody mechanisms allowing us to solve specific problems efficiently, i.e., navigate into diverse environments and maneuver through tight spaces or uneven grounds in a way that resembles living organisms. However, the path following and controlling such systems is challenging due to nonlinear dynamics, coupling between links, and nonstandard definitions of the set-point that differ from industrial applications. This paper describes a framework for simulation and evaluation of the controller design for snake robot as the set of tools for the 3D design and robot dynamic simulation. Combined with a theoretical background (equations of robot dynamics), it allows testing new solutions and strategies of robot control design. Firstly, based on the proposed methodology, we provide a mechanical design of a ten-link snake robot. We present control algorithms enabling point-to-point tracking of the robot position in two cases: (i) tracking the center of gravity of the robot and (ii) tracking the position of the head of the robot. Then we provide a simulation-based robustness analysis of a simple fault-tolerant control algorithm, where some snake robot joints are broken. The proposed framework can be used efficiently to study control strategies for multibody mechanisms.