MODELLING, SIMULATION AND BALANCE CONTROL OF A TWO-WHEELED ROBOTIC MACHINE WITH STATIC VARIATION IN LOAD POSITION

This paper focuses on the design and implementation of a control algorithm for balancing of a two-wheeled robotic machine (TWRM). The machine comprises a rod on an axle incorporating two wheels. The balancing of the rod in the upright position is achieved using a proportional-derivative (PD) controller. The Newton-Euler dynamic formulation is used to develop a mathematical model of the system. Matlab Simulink is used as a simulation environment. The intermediate body (Ib) is considered to be in the upright position. An external disturbance force is applied at different locations of the IB in order to test the robustness of the developed controller. A payload is considered, and this is attached at different locations along the rod. Investigations are carried out on the effect of changing the duration and location of disturbance force, and changing the location of the payload on the system in the balancing mode. Two PD controllers are developed, one for the angular position of the rod and one for the cart linear displacement. Simulation results are presented assessing the performances of the controllers.