Changing formations shapes for multiple robots via synchronization

Abstract

This paper shows a synchronous controller for multiple mobile robots in switching between time-varying formation. Each robot is forced to track the desired trajectory while synchronizing its movement with the two nearby robots to perform and maintain a desired time-varying formation. The dynamic model of the mobile robot is derived based on the Lagrange Method, and then, it is divided into a translational and rotational dynamic model. The proposed synchronous controller guarantees the asymptotic stability of both position errors and synchronization errors. Simulation are carried out on a group of homogenous multiple mobile robots in switching between different formation shapes in a time-varying manner. The simulation results verify the usefulness of the proposed synchronous controller in the time-varying formation tasks.