Performance-based rough terrain navigation for nonholonomic mobile robots

This paper addresses path planning and control of mobile robots in rough terrain environments. Previous research separates path planning and control into two different problems and addresses them in different contexts. Instead, we formulate these issues in connected modules with performance requirement considerations in each module. We advocate the idea that by incorporating criterion-optimizing design in each module and organizing them in a behavior-based architecture, performance issues (e.g., robot safety, or geometric, time-based, and physics- based criteria) are adequately addressed. A feedback control strategy is used for trajectory tracking, and closed-loop stability of error dynamics is granted. Simulation results show that the trajectory controller is robust with respect to initial conditions and model uncertainties.