• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.410-415
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• 2013

This paper proposes a bidirectional platoon control law using a coupled distance error based on the backstepping-like feedback linearization control method for an interconnected mobile agent system with a string structure. Unlike the previous results where the single agent was controlled using the only own information without other agents, the proposed control law cannot show the only distance error convergence of each agent, but also the string stability of the whole system. Also, the control performances are improved by the proposed control law in spite of low performance of bidirectional control strategy in the previous results. The proposed bidirectional platoon control algorithm is based on the backstepping-like feedback linearization control method. The position errors between each agent and the preceding and the behind agents are coupled by weighted summation. By the proposed control law, the distance error of each agent can converge to zero while the string stability is guaranteed when the coupled errors can converge to zero. To this end, the back-stepping control method is employed. The pseudo velocity input is determined considering the kinematic relationship between agents and the string stability. Then, the actual dynamic control input is determined to make the actual velocity converge to the pseudo velocity input. The stability analysis and the simulation results of the proposed method are included in order to demonstrate the practical application of the proposed algorithm.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.852-862
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• 2013

This paper proposes a target tracking control method for wheeled mobile robots with nonholonomic constraints by using a backstepping-like feedback linearization. For the target tracking, we apply a vision system to mobile robots to obtain the relative posture information between the mobile robot and the target. The robots do not use the sensors to obtain the velocity information in this paper and therefore assumed the unknown velocities of both mobile robot and target. Instead, the proposed method uses only the maximum velocity information of the mobile robot and target. First, the pseudo command for the forward linear velocity and the heading direction angle are designed based on the kinematics by using the obtained image information. Then, the actual control inputs are designed to make the actual forward linear velocity and the heading direction angle follow the pseudo commands. Through simulations and experiments for the mobile robot we have confirmed that the proposed control method is able to track target even when the velocity sensors are not used at all.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.547-558
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• 2007

This paper proposes a simpler solution to the stabilization problem of a special class of nonlinear underactuated mechanical systems which includes widely studied benchmark systems like Inertia Wheel Pendulum, TORA and Acrobot. Complex internal dynamics and lack of exact feedback linearizibility of these systems makes design of control law a challenging task. Stabilization of these systems has been achieved using Energy Shaping and damping injection and Backstepping technique. Former results in hybrid or switching architectures that make stability analysis complicated whereas use of backstepping some times requires closed form explicit solutions of highly nonlinear equations resulting from partial feedback linearization. It also exhibits the phenomenon of explosions of terms resulting in a highly complicated control law. Exploiting recently introduced Dynamic Surface Control technique and using control Lyapunov function method, a novel nonlinear controller design is presented as a solution to these problems. The stability of the closed loop system is analyzed by exploiting its two-time scale nature and applying concepts from Singular Perturbation Theory. The design procedure is shown to be simpler and more intuitive than existing designs. Design has been applied to important benchmark systems belonging to the class demonstrating controller design simplicity. Advantages over conventional Energy Shaping and Backstepping controllers are analyzed theoretically and performance is verified using numerical simulations.