Design of Stable Algorithms for Mobile Robot Control with Obstacle Avoidance

In this paper mobile robot control laws, including obstacle avoidance based on ultrasonic sensorial information are proposed. The mobile robot is assumed to evolve in a semi-structured environment. The control systems are based on the use of the extended impedance concept, in which the relationship between fictitious forces and motion error is regulated. The fictitious forces are generated from the information provided by ultrasonic sensors on the distance from the obstacle to the robot. The control algorithms also prevent from the potential problem of control command saturation. The paper includes the stability analysis of the developed control systems, using positive definite potential functions.