Robust tube-based predictive control for mobile robots in off-road conditions

• Published in: Robotics and autonomous systems Vol. 59; no. 10; pp. 711 - 726
• Main Authors: González, Ramón, Fiacchini, Mirko, Guzmán, José Luis, Álamo, Teodoro, Rodríguez, Francisco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-10-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Autonomous; Autonomous mobile robot; Computer simulation; Dynamical Systems; Mathematical models; Mathematics; Model Predictive Control; Predictive control; Robot control; Robots; Robustness; Slip; Tracking errors; Trajectories; Robustness; Model Predictive Control; Autonomous mobile robot; Slip
• ISSN: 0921-8890; 1872-793X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.robot.2011.05.006

This paper focuses on the design of a tube-based Model Predictive Control law for the control of constrained mobile robots in off-road conditions with longitudinal slip while ensuring robustness and stability. A time-varying trajectory tracking error model is used, where uncertainties are assumed to be bounded and additive. The robust tube-based MPC is compared with other motion control techniques through simulation and physical experiments. These tests show the satisfactory behavior of the presented control strategy.
► The proposed control strategy achieves these main goals. ► Robustness (constraints take into account uncertainties and time-varying dynamics). ► Performance (an optimization problem is solved at each sampling instant). ► Input and state constraint fulfillment are ensured. ► Efficient real-time execution.