High speed target pursuit and asymptotic stability in mobile robotics

Many mobile robot path planning algorithms, produce changing intermediate goal coordinates for a mobile robot to pursue, and provide motoring speed/torque signals based upon local sensor information and the position of the global target. This is often done with little or no regard for the low level vehicle dynamics, which, in practice, must be taken into account for efficient path planning. Therefore, in this article mobile robot path planning parameters are related to the application of a correct, general control law. It will be shown that nonlinear control analysis provides a useful tool for quantifying various path planning parameters in order that stable asymptotic convergence of a mobile robot to its target is guaranteed. Contrary to previous work, this analysis allows a deceleration zone to be quantified which surrounds any mobile robot’s goal. Results show that near time optimal goal seeking is possible with real vehicles having simple proportional or integral controllers only.