Distributed motion control of multiple passive object handling robots considering feasible region of brake control

This paper proposes a distributed motion control algorithm of multiple passive mobile robots for handling an object in cooperation with a human. The driving force of the passive mobile robot is an actual force applied by the human and the servo brakes attached to the wheels control its motion. Different from the active-type robot with servo motors, the passive robot has the control limitation based on the brake constraint. In this paper, we consider a feasible region for the brake control of the robot and propose a distributed motion control algorithm of the multiple passive mobile robots for handling a large object along the desired path, in which each robot compensates the control input required by other robots which do not generate it because of the brake constraint. We apply the proposed algorithm to two passive mobile robots called PRP experimentally and they realize an object handling along the desired path accurately.