Hierarchical Fuzzy Cooperative Control and Path Following for a Team of Mobile Robots

In this paper, an intelligent cooperative control and path-following algorithm is proposed and tested for a group of mobile robots. The core of this algorithm uses a fuzzy model, which mimics human thought to control the robot's velocity, movement, and group behavior. The designed fuzzy model employs two behaviors: path following and group cooperation. Hierarchical controllers have also been developed based on fuzzy and proportional integral derivative to instruct the robots to move in a group formation and follow specific paths. As the robots move along individual predetermined paths, the designed algorithm adjusts their velocities so that the group arrives at their target points within the same time duration regardless of the length of each individual path. The fuzzy rules applied to the robots are defined by the kinematics limitation, which is bounded by both linear and angular velocities and the length and curvature of the individual paths. The experimental results of three mobile robots traveling on different paths are presented to show the accuracy of obtaining control and cooperation by using the fuzzy algorithm.