Abstract:
This paper is devoted to planning and control of a pattern
formation of mobile robots when moving between goal
points in a known and static environment. Path planning is
performed for a reference point in the formation using the
modified A* search, coupled with a proposed smoothing
technique to generate a feasible trajectory with
nonholonomic constraints of mobile robots taken into
account. Based on this reference trajectory and the
predefined formation configuration in curvilinear
coordinates, each robot in the formation computes its
trajectory. Formation motion control is then integrated in the
proposed framework to derive velocity profiles for robots in
the group, taking into account differential geometry of the
trajectories. Obstacle avoidance is guaranteed by varying
the coordinates of those robots that are likely in collision
with obstacles relative to the reference one. Simulation
results are presented to illustrate the validity of the proposed
framework.
