Trajectory tracking control of a wheeled mobile robot by a non-model-based control algorithm using PD-action filtered errors

In this paper, trajectory tracking control of a wheeled mobile robot is analyzed. Wheeled mobile robot is a nonlinear system. This system including three generalized coordinates (x,y,ϕ), and a nonholonomic constraint. First, system kinematic and dynamic equations are obtained. A non-model-based control algorithm using PD-action filtered errors has been used in order to control the wheeled mobile robot. Non-model-based controllers are always more appropriate than model-based algorithms due to independency from dynamic models, lower computational costs and also robustness to uncertainties. Asymptotic stability of the closed loop system for trajectory tracking control of wheeled mobile robot has been investigated using appropriate Lyapunov function and also Barbalat’s lemma method. Finally, in order to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach simulation and experimental results have been presented. Obtained results show that without requiring a priori knowledge of plant dynamics, and with reduced computational burden, the tracking performance of the presented algorithm is quite satisfactory. Therefore, the proposed control algorithm is well suited to most industrial applications where simple efficient algorithms are more appropriate than complicated theoretical ones with massive computational burden.