Abstract
This paper describes the implementation of a low cost experimental testbed for the study of formation control of autonomous vehicles. The purpose of the platform is to serve as an aide for the teaching of control theory, embedded systems and networked multi-agent systems at a higher education level. Simultaneously, the platform has the capability to replicate recent theoretical results for 1 dimensional platooning of unmanned autonomous vehicles and it is flexible enough to motivate new lines of research in the same area. The platform consists of several model trains powered by a 9V DC motor. Each train is equipped with a low cost microcontroller unit (MCU) with WiFi capabilities, sensors, a battery and circuitry that allow its automation. All of the parts are mounted on a 3D printed chassis. Each MCU has access to the instantaneous velocity of its train, the distance to its immediate predecessor, and some measurements of other trains through the use of the Meassage Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol. Using simple Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers and a highly decentralized networking scheme, the MCUs power the DC motors in order to reach a consensus velocity and a desired formation where the vehicles maintain fixed spacings, whenever possible. The wireless capabilities of the MCU allow for supervision of the agents, data acquisition and on the fly parameter configuration. The capabilities of the testbed are showcased through experimental results.
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