Decentralized leader-follower formation control with obstacle avoidance of multiple unicycle mobile robots

This work investigates the formation control and obstacle avoidance of multiple differentially driven wheeled mobile robots (WMRs) based on the kinematic model and the leader-follower approach. A combination of a linear model predictive control and input-output feedback linearization is implemented on a team of WMRs in order to accomplish a formation task. The linear model of each robot with nonlinear dynamics is found through feedback linearization, while model predictive control is applied to the linear model to perform the formation control. An obstacle avoidance algorithm also implemented to each robot in formation. The obstacle avoidance strategy is based on generating a virtual force that is considered to make corrections in the linear and angular velocities of each robot in formation. Simulation results are presented in order to demonstrate the performance of a team of WMRs with two formation mission scenarios.