Distributed leader-following formation control for multiple nonholonomic mobile robots via bioinspired neurodynamic approach

Optimal distributed time-varying formation control for second-order multiagent systems: LQR-based method

The optimal leaderless and leader-following time-varying formation (TVF) control problems for second-order multiagent systems (MASs) are investigated, where two optimal TVF control protocols are proposed to achieve the desired formations as well as minimize the comprehensive optimization function that contain the cooperative performance index and the control energy index. For leaderless case, the optimal formation control problem is reformulated as an infinite-time state regulator problem by employing the state space decomposition method, which is subject to specified constraints on energy and performance indices, and the analytic criterion for optimal TVF achievability is subsequently proposed. Then, the results of optimal leaderless TVF control are extended to the leader-following case with switching topologies, where the main challenge is changed to find the optimal controller rather than the optimal gain matrix, and the optimal value of the comprehensive index is accurately determined. Finally, two simulation cases are proposed to validate the effectiveness of the theoretical results, and comparisons with previous works are presented to expound the optimality of the proposed formation control method.

Formation Control and Tracking of Mobile Robots using Distributed Estimators and A Biologically Inspired Approach

This paper investigates the formation control problem for multiple nonholonomic wheeled mobile robots using distributed estimators and a biologically inspired approach. The formation pattern of the system adopts leader-follower structure and the communication topology among the multi-robot system is modelled by an undirected graph. In our proposed methodology, first, we develop an adaptive trajectory tracking control for the leader robot to follow the desired trajectory. Second, a distributed estimator is designed for each follower mobile robot, which uses its own information to estimate the leader's states, such as position, orientation, and linear velocity. Then, distributed formation tracking control laws are designed based on the distributed estimator. Furthermore, a bioinspired controller is developed to address the impractical velocity jump problem. The closed-loop system stability is analysed with the Lyapunov stability theory showing that tracking errors are asymptotically converge to zero. Finally, simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.