U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Non-Smooth Feedback Control of Nonholonomic Mechanical Systems with Applicationsto Mobile Robots

这项为期三年的奖项支持旨在为非完整机器人系统设计控制律的美法合作研究。非完整系统是具有运动约束的力学系统。这项合作涉及弗吉尼亚大学的Panagiotis Tsiotras和法国格勒诺布尔高等工程学院自动化实验室的Carlos A.Canudas de Wit领导的研究小组。研究人员将开发一种方法，为包括移动机器人在内的特殊类型的非完整系统构造非光滑、时不变的反馈控制律。通过力或力矩执行器实现控制律以及对外部干扰的稳健性将被考察。然后，这些控制将在弗吉尼亚大学和格勒诺布尔的自动化实验室进行实验测试，并与使用移动机器人的其他方法进行比较。这位美国研究人员将刚体稳定和控制方面的专业知识带到了这次合作中。这位法国研究人员在非线性控制理论和非完整系统控制方面的专业知识补充了这一点。该项目将以快速的收敛速度推进非完整系统的新的非线性算法的知识，并可应用于自主或半自主的移动机器人和欠驱动机械系统。

This three-year award supports US-France cooperative research aimed at the design of control laws for nonholonomic robot systems. Nonholonomic systems are mechanical systems with motion constraints. The collaboration involves Panagiotis Tsiotras of the University of Virginia and the research group led by Carlos A. Canudas de Wit at the Automation Laboratory of the Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Ingenieurs Electriciens in Grenoble, France. The investigators will develop a methodology for constructing non- smooth, time-invariant, feedback control laws for special classes of nonholonomic systems, which include the case of mobile robots. Implementation of the control laws via force or torque actuators and robustness to external disturbances will be examined. The controls will then be experimentally tested and compared to other methods using mobile robots at the University of Virginia and at the Automation Laboratory in Grenoble. The US investigator brings to this collaboration expertise in stabilization and control of rigid bodies. This is complemented by the French investigator's expertise in nonlinear control theory and control of nonholonomic systems. The project will advance knowledge of new nonlinear algorithms for nonholonomic systems with fast convergence rates and could be applied to autonomous or semi-autonomous mobile robots and underactuated mechanical systems.