Global path-following control for nonholonomic mobile robots

A novel global path-following controller for a nonholonomic mobile robot is proposed based on the guidancebased path-following principle. Tracking errors between the real and desired positions are calculated in the path reference frame; the desired attitude and the updating law for the path parameters are deduced according to the guidance principles, the angular velocity and the control laws are determined from the obtained results. We also develop the method for calculating the reference point for the initial path, and investigate the path-following direction and the method of its reversion. The stability analysis shows that this scheme is free from control singular points, and the closed-loop system achieves the global, uniform and asymptotic convergence. Experimental results from a mobile robot are presented to validate the effectiveness of proposed controller.