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On New Algorithms for Path Planning and Control of Micro-rover Swarms

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Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems (TAROS 2013)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 8069))

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Abstract

In this paper, a new approach to modelling the dynamics of the Pioneer-3AT robot on planetary soil is presented. This model is used to design a robust traction control algorithm that makes use of the Sliding Mode Control (SMC), the Artificial Potential Field (APF) and a Fethi Beckoche navigation function for collision avoidance with predefined obstacles. Simulations were carried out for swarms of micro-rovers using the parameters of an in-house planetary soil simulant. The controller was designed to control the wheel movements of the robot on an unstructured environment using the SMC and APF. Simulation results show that the controller and the navigation function effectively achieves the permitted slip rate, sinkage, angular and longitudinal velocities, sliding surface and torque for the wheels, thus offering efficient traction while avoiding the excessive wheel slip and sinkage.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surrey Technology for Autonomous Systems and Robotics Lab, Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK

    H. D. Ibrahim & C. M. Saaj

Authors
  1. H. D. Ibrahim
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  2. C. M. Saaj
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to H. D. Ibrahim or C. M. Saaj .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Ashutosh Natraj

  2. Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Stephen Cameron

  3. University of Bristol and the West of En, Bristol, United Kingdom

    Chris Melhuish

  4. Imperial College London Department of Electrical and Electronic, London, United Kingdom

    Mark Witkowski

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Ibrahim, H.D., Saaj, C.M. (2014). On New Algorithms for Path Planning and Control of Micro-rover Swarms. In: Natraj, A., Cameron, S., Melhuish, C., Witkowski, M. (eds) Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems. TAROS 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 8069. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43645-5_38

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43645-5_38

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-43644-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-43645-5

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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