Control and Visualization of Mobile Robot Formation

The problem of controlling and visualizing in graphical environment the motion of leader - follower formation of mobile robots is studied. The motion of the leader vehicle is controlled using joystick commands while an asymptotic tracking controller provides the follower input commands in order to keep the distance and the angle attitude of the formation with in desire values. Using measurements from a vision system and data from the variables of the leader and the follower vehicles a PI type multivariable controller is computed via a simple algorithm based on well-established results of asymptotic command tracking. The controller attenuates unknown step and ramp disturbances produced from the leader position and orientation. The effectiveness of the controller is illustrated through simulations. For educational purposes and for better understanding and correcting the action of the controller a visualization environment is constructed.