Omnidirectional-Vision-Based Distributed Optimal Tracking Control for Mobile Multirobot Systems With Kinematic and Dynamic Disturbance Rejection

Abstract

Although various methods of controlling mobile robots have been studied, the distributed tracking control problem for uncertain nonholonomic mobile multirobot (NMMR) systems in an optimal manner with disturbance rejection for both kinematics and dynamics has not been thoroughly solved. This paper, therefore, devotes a novel method to solve the problem with application to real NMMR systems equipped with omnidirectional vision sensors, of which parameters are unknown or uncalibrated. First, the distributed optimal tracking control problem of a separate system in the presence of kinematic and dynamic disturbances is transformed into the equivalent optimal regulation with disturbance rejection of an integrated system. Then, the theory of differential games is utilized to formulate the integrated system into coupled Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaac equations, of which the solutions are approximated in real time by designed algorithms. By the Lyapunov theory, it is proven that the algorithms converge, and the closed-loop systems are stable. Finally, compared simulations and experiments for a group of three robots are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.