Oracle-based flocking of mobile robots in crash-recovery model

This paper considers a system of autonomous mobile robots that can move freely in a two-dimensional plane, and where a number of them can fail by crashing. The crash of a robot can be either permanent or temporary, that is, after its crash the robot either executes no action or it recovers from its failure. These robots repeatedly go through a succession of activation cycles during which they observe the environment, compute a destination and move. In particular, we assume weak robots, in the sense that robots cannot communicate explicitly between each other. Also, they cannot remember their past computations (i.e., they are oblivious). Finally, robots do not agree on a common coordinate system.In this paper, we address the fault-tolerant flocking problem under the crash-recovery model. That is, starting from any initial configuration, a group of non-faulty robots are required to form a desired pattern, and move together while following a robot leader moving on some trajectory, and keeping such a pattern in movement. Specifically, we propose a fault-tolerant flocking algorithm in the semi-synchronous model that allows correct robots to dynamically form a regular polygon in finite time, and maintain it in movement infinitely often. Our algorithm relies on the existence of two devices, namely an eventually perfect failure detector device to ensure failure detection, and also an eventual leader device to handle leader election. The algorithm tolerates permanent crash failures, and also crash-recovery failures of robots due to its oblivious feature. The proposed algorithm ensures the necessary restrictions on the movement of robots in order to avoid collisions between them. In addition, it is robust with respect to changes in the environment.     

基于路径跟踪的拖车式移动机器人动态窗口法

针对目前局部路径规划算法只适用于单车体机器人的问题,提出了一种针对拖车式移动机器人的动态窗口法。首先,利用多车体结构的路径跟踪方程实现对拖车式移动机器人的运动控制;然后,利用评价函数同时对牵引车和拖车进行评价并根据权重相加;最后,针对拖车结构特性,添加了运动过程中牵引车与拖车的夹角约束,保证运动轨迹的稳定性。仿真实验表明:拖车式移动机器人的运动控制可满足收敛性,同时所提算法实现了拖车式移动机器人局部路径规划的任务,且在运动过程中夹角变化均未超出限制。该研究对拖车式移动机器人的自主导航有极大的参考价值。     

非平坦地形下移动机器人安全路径规划

提出一种基于双分辨率2.5D分层栅格地图的Secure A*(SA*)路径规划方法,以解决移动机器人在非平坦地形下的安全路径规划问题.首先,设计一种双分辨率2.5D分层栅格地图,利用双分辨率栅格对环境中的障碍物信息与高程信息进行存储,以节约地图的存储空间;然后,结合移动机器人运动能力,将环境中的高程信息转化为约束因子,...     

A distributed motion coordination strategy for multiple nonholonomic mobile robots in cooperative hunting operations

This paper presents a distributed smooth time-varying feedback control law for coordinating motions of multiple nonholonomic mobile robots of the Hilare-type to capture/enclose a target by making troop formations. This motion coordination is a cooperative behavior for security against invaders in surveillance areas. Each robot in this control law has its own coordinate system and it senses a target/invader, other robots and obstacles, to achieve this cooperative behavior without making any collision. Each robot especially has a two-dimensional control input referred to as a “formation vector” and the formation is controllable by the vectors. The validity of this control law is supported by computer simulations.     

A dynamic priority based path planning for cooperation of multiple mobile robots in formation forming

Robots that work in a proper formation show several advantages compared to a single complex robot, such as a reduced cost, robustness, efficiency and improved performance. Existing researches focused on the method of keeping the formation shape during the motion, but usually neglect collision constraints or assume a simplified model of obstacles. This paper investigates the path planning of forming a target robot formation in a clutter environment containing unknown obstacles. The contribution lies in proposing an efficient path planner for the multiple mobile robots to achieve their goals through the clutter environment and developing a dynamic priority strategy for cooperation of robots in forming the target formation. A multirobot system is set up to verify the proposed method of robot path planning. Simulations and experiments results demonstrate that the proposed method can successfully address the collision avoidance problem as well as the formation forming problem.     

异构多目标差分-动态窗口算法 及其在移动机器人中的应用

为了实现在多移动机器人和多窄通道的复杂动态环境中机器人的节能运动规划,提出异构多目标差分-动态窗口法(heterogeneous multi-objective differential evolution-dynamic window algorithm,HMODE-DWA).首先,建立行驶时间、执行器作用力和平滑度的3目标优化模型,设计具有碰撞约束的异构多目标差分进化算法来获得3个目标函数的最优解,进而在已知的静态环境中获得帕累托前沿,利用平均隶属度函数获得起点与终点间最优的全局路径;其次,定义基于环境缓冲区域的模糊动态窗口法使机器人完成动态复杂环境中避障,利用所提出的HMODE-DWA算法动态避障的同时实现节能规划.仿真和实验结果表明,所提出的混合路径规划控制策略能够有效降低移动机器人动态避障过程中的能耗.     

多移动机器人的领航-跟随编队避障控制

针对多移动机器人的编队控制问题,提出了一种结合Polar Histogram避障法的领航-跟随协调编队控制算法。该算法在领航-跟随l-φ编队控制结构的基础上引入虚拟跟随机器人,将编队控制转化为跟随机器人对虚拟跟随机器人的轨迹跟踪控制。结合移动机器人自身传感器技术,在简单甚至复杂的环境下为机器人提供相应的路径运动策略,实现实时导航的目的。以两轮差动Qbot移动机器人为研究对象,搭建半实物仿真平台,进行仿真实验。仿真结果表明:该方法可以有效地实现多移动机器人协调编队和避障控制。     

Lyapunov vector function method in the motion stabilisation problem for nonholonomic mobile robot

In this paper we propose a sampled-data control law in the stabilisation problem of nonstationary motion of nonholonomic mobile robot. We assume that the robot moves on a horizontal surface without slipping. The dynamical model of a mobile robot is considered. The robot has one front free wheel and two rear wheels which are controlled by two independent electric motors. We assume that the controls are piecewise constant signals. Controller design relies on the backstepping procedure with the use of Lyapunov vector-function method. Theoretical considerations are verified by numerical simulation.     

基于RGB-D信息的移动机器人SLAM和路径规划方法研究与实现

移动机器人在各种辅助任务中需具备自主定位、建图、路径规划与运动控制的能力。本文利用RGB-D信息和ORB-SLAM算法进行自主定位,结合点云数据和GMapping算法建立环境栅格地图,基于二次规划方法进行平滑可解析的路径规划,并设计非线性控制器,实现了由一个运动底盘、一个RGB-D传感器和一个运算平台组成的自主移动机器人系统。经实验验证,这一系统实现了复杂室内环境下的实时定位与建图、自主移动和障碍物规避。由此,为移动机器人的推广应用提供了一个硬件结构简单、性能良好、易扩展、经济性好、开发维护方便的解决方案。     

A PSO-based algorithm designed for a swarm of mobile robots

This paper presents an algorithm called augmented Lagrangian particle swarm optimization with velocity limits (VL-ALPSO). It uses a particle swarm optimization (PSO) based algorithm to optimize the motion planning for swarm mobile robots. Considering problems with engineering constraints and obstacles in the environment, the algorithm combines the method of augmented Lagrangian multipliers and strategies of velocity limits and virtual detectors so as to ensure enforcement of constraints, obstacle avoidance and mutual avoidance. All the strategies together with basic PSO are corresponding to real situations of swarm mobile robots in coordinated movements. This work also builds a swarm motion model based on Euler forward time integration that involves some mechanical properties such as masses, inertias or external forces to the swarm robotic system. Simulations show that the robots moving in the environment display the desired behavior. Each robot has the ability to do target searching, obstacle avoidance, random wonder, acceleration or deceleration and escape entrapment. So, in summary due to the characteristic features of the VL-ALPSO algorithm, after some engineering adaptation, it can work well for the planning of coordinated movements of swarm robotic systems.     

多机器人任意队形分布式控制研究

本文针对多智能体协作完成特定任务时难以在全自主控制的前提下协作形成任意队 形和队形向量不易确定的问题，通过由各智能体自主简单的确定自己的队形向量，从理论上 扩展基于队形向量的队形控制原理以生成任意队形，改进机器人的运动方式以提高收敛速度 ，提出一种快速收敛的机器人部队任意队形分布式控制算法．为了解决智能体机器人之间的 冲突问题，提出了一个通信协调模型．仿真实验和实际机器人实验均表明了算法的可行性和 有效性．     

Navigation strategy of multiple mobile robot systems based on the null-space projection method

This paper deals with a navigation algorithm for swarm robot systems in which multiple mobile robots work together. The motion of each mobile robot is modeled in such a way to have more inputs than the number of outputs. The null-space projection method of this model is employed to resolve the motion of the swarm robot system while avoiding obstacles. The feasibility of the proposed navigation algorithm is verified through a simulation study using several swarm robot models.     

Capturing a Convex Object With Three Discs

This paper addresses the problem of capturing an arbitrary convex object P in the plane with three congruent disc-shaped robots. Given two stationary robots in contact with P, we characterize the set of positions of a third robot, the so-called capture region, that prevent P from escaping to infinity via continuous rigid motion. We show that the computation of the capture region reduces to a visibility problem. We present two algorithms for solving this problem, and for computing the capture region when P is a polygon and the robots are points (zero-radius discs). The first algorithm is exact and has polynomial time complexity. The second one uses simple hidden surface removal techniques from computer graphics to output an arbitrarily accurate approximation of the capture region; it has been implemented, and examples are presented.     

带扰动的多非完整移动机器人分布式有限时间一致性控制

论文研究多个非完整移动机器人在控制输入存在干扰时,有限时间一致性控制问题.利用坐标变换,将多移动机器人系统的一致性问题转化为非完整约束链式系统的一致性问题,在控制输入带有未知有界干扰的条件下,设计了一种分布式控制算法,并利用Lyapunov理论证明了该算法能够使移动机器人的各个状态在有限时间内达到一致.最后通过数值仿真验证了算法的有效性.     

Coordinated transportation of a single object by two nonholonomic mobile robots

We propose a decentralized control algorithm for transporting a single object by two nonholonomic mobile robots. One of the robots acts as a leader, whose trajectory is planned by itself or defined previously, whereas the other robot, referred to as a follower, follows the leader by keeping a constant distance from the leader. The follower can also avoid obstacles while following the leader without any absolute information about their position. Furthermore, the two mobile robots can realize an omnidirectional motion of the object when the leader broadcasts some simple information to the follower. Some simulation results show a good performance by the proposed decentralized control algorithm. This work was presented, in part, at the Seventh International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 16–18, 2002.     

基于改进人工势场法的移动机器人路径规划

基于传统人工势场法的机器人路径规划存在障碍物附近目标不可达和局部极小点的问题。在研究该问题产生原因的基础上,提出了一种基于改进人工势场法的移动机器人路径规划算法。该算法在斥力函数中引入了机器人和目标点之间的距离,在极小点附近自主建立虚拟目标牵引点并隔离原有目标点,解决了传统人工势场法的局部极小点问题,使机器人到达了目标点。仿真结果说明了改进后算法的有效性。     

轮式移动机器人瞬态模型鲁棒自适应同步终端滑模编队控制

在轮式移动机器人协同编队问题中,如何保证移动机器人在追踪自身期望轨迹的同时,又能实现与其他机器人运动同步的问题对控制算法的设计提出了更高的要求.本文提出一种基于图论的鲁棒自适应同步终端滑模控制算法来解决这一问题.首先介绍了轮式移动机器人非线性运动学瞬态模型,该模型避免了一般运动学模型多输入耦合互相干扰的问题.然后根据交叉耦合误差设计同步控制算法实现运动同步,通过鲁棒控制对系统外部干扰进行抑制,自适应律保证切换增益实时调节.运用Lyapunov方法进行了稳定性分析,证明了系统追踪误差的收敛性.最后通过MATLAB仿真验证了所设计算法的有效性.     

未知环境下移动机器人实时路径规划

针对在未知环境下实现移动机器人实时的路径规划问题,提出了一种将快速扩展随机树（RRT）算法与视野域自适应的滚动窗口相结合的路径规划算法。该方法实时获取滚动窗口内的局部环境信息,根据环境的变化,滚动窗口视野域进行自适应调整,通过分析滚动窗口内传感器获取的信息,结合改进后的RRT算法筛选出可行的路径,控制移动机器人到达子目标点,在此过程中动态监测规划好的路径,确保路径合理,并重复上述过程,直至到达目标区域。实验对比分析表明,该方法能实时并有效实现未知环境下移动机器人的路径规划。     

安全平滑的改进时间弹性带轨迹规划算法

传统TEB(time elastic band)算法在杂乱场景下规划易出现倒退、大转向等异常行为,造成加速度跳变,控制指令不平滑,机器人受到大冲击,不利于移动机器人轨迹跟踪.鉴于此,提出一种改进TEB算法,通过增加危险惩罚因子约束规划更安全的运动轨迹,增加加速度跳变以抑制约束减小运动中的最大冲击,增加末端平滑约束以减小末端冲击,实现目标点平滑、准确到达.构建图优化问题,以机器人的位姿和时间间隔为节点、目标函数和约束函数为边,利用问题的稀疏性快速获得相应时刻点的控制量.最后,通过基于机器人操作系统的大量对比仿真测试以及真实差速机器人上的物理实验对提出的改进TEB算法进行性能验证.结果表明,改进TEB算法在复杂环境中能够规划出更安全、平滑的轨迹,减小机器人所受冲击,实现移动机器人更合理地运动.     

Design and implementation of a novel hybrid quadruped spherical mobile robot

Spherical mobile robots are a novel type of mobile robots having some advantages in motion over other ordinary mobile robots. The advantages can be related to their symmetric spherical shape. Despite many works being conducted in recent years on spherical mobile robots, it seems that finding the best driving mechanism with higher efficiency still needs much research. In this article, a novel type of spherical mobile robot is introduced. This robot has a hybrid structure of the spherical robots and ordinary four legged or quadruped robots. Adding legs to the spherical robot reduces some disadvantages of its behavior. After introduction of the mentioned robot, its dynamic model based on Lagrange equations is obtained. The accuracy of the developed dynamic model in tracking a trajectory is verified through a dynamic simulation. Experimental results in tracking a square trajectory is presented to show the verification.