On the Remote Control of Differential Drive Mobile Robots through Wireless Networks

In the present paper, the problem of independent control of the speed and orientation of a differential drive mobile robot, through wireless networks, is studied. Based upon the linear approximant of the nonlinear model of the mobile robot, a multi-delay linear I/O decoupling controller is designed. The controller feeds back delayed measurements of all state variables of the system. The analytic form of the precompensator matrix and part of the elements of the feedback matrix is determined. The remaining controller parameters are metaheuristically evaluated so that appropriate delay stability margins are accomplished. The performance of the proposed control scheme is illustrated through series of computational experiments, where it is observed that the nonlinear model behaves satisfactorily for large external commands and uncertain model parameters.