Vector-Field-Orientation Feedback Control Method for a Differentially Driven Vehicle

This paper presents a novel vector-field-orientation (VFO) feedback control method and its application to a differentially driven wheeled vehicle. It describes the control concept and the control design methodology originating from simple geometrical interpretations connected with the vehicle model structure. The novelty of the VFO method allows one to treat two considered control tasks - trajectory tracking and point stabilization - in a unified manner. Control systems with VFO controllers reveal several practically desirable features like fast and nonoscillatory error convergence, simple interpretation of control input effect, and, as a consequence, particular simplicity of the controller parametric synthesis. The theoretical considerations included in this paper are validated by simulation and experimental results.