Experimental investigation of a path following controller for planar snake robots

Abstract

Abstract-This paper considers path following control of snake robots along straight paths. A controller is proposed which, under the assumption that the forward velocity of the snake robot is nonzero and positive, guarantees K-exponential stability of the distance between the snake robot and the desired path and also K-exponential stability of the heading of the robot with respect to the direction of the path. The performance of the path following controller is investigated through experiments with a physical snake robot. The experiments show that the proposed controller successfully steers the snake robot towards and along the desired straight path.

A novel approach for modeling and tracking control of a passive-wheel snake robot

“…For equation (13), if the mass matrix M is singular, the Udwadia-Phohomsiri 27 equation should be used instead of Udwadia-Kalaba 29 equation to acquire the equation of motion of the constrained system, and the equation of motion becomes…”

“…Date et al, 6,7 Watanabe et al, 8,9 Hicks and Ito, 10 and Toyoshima et al 11 modeled the snake and studied the optimized torque control of the system on the basis of classical dynamic theories. Lijieback et al [12][13][14] achieved the trajectory tracking controller design for the snake robot. Alamir et al 15 and El Rafei et al 16 designed feedback control scheme and sliding mode control scheme for snake-like eel robot.…”

Design and Control of a Cable-Driven Articulated Modular Snake Robot

“…Other approaches to achieving planar locomotion include Chernousko's study of a 3-link snake robot, in which the joint angles are made to perform "elementary motions" from which more complex gaits can be built [37]. Liljebäck et al demonstrated a path following control scheme and waypoint guidance in a snake robot approximating the serpenoid curve, both in simulation and experimentally [38]- [39]. Liljebäck et al also proved that anisotropic ground friction is a necessary condition for controllable locomotion, developed a simplified model of serpentine locomotion consisting of only translational motions, and tested jamming resolution schemes during interaction with obstacles [40]- [41].…”