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Updated: Aug 1, 2025

The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy
Published on: October 14, 2017
Design and control of a multi-mobile-robot cooperative transport system based on a novel six degree-of-freedom
Zhao Gong1, Zhenguo Nie1, Quan Liu1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Beijing Key Lab of Precision/Ultra-precision Manufacturing Equipments and Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Abstract:
Multi-robot cooperative object transport on uneven roads is challenging. The key barrier is dealing with nonholonomic and rigid-formation motion constraints. In this study, to alleviate the influence of these constraints on a multi-robot cooperative transport system (MRCTS), a six degree-of-freedom connector capable of sensing three-axial displacements, three-axial forces, and three-axial angular displacements is designed and employed. Based on the local displacements derived from each connector, we develop a position calibration method to calculate the relative position of each robot and achieve a centralized control strategy. Based on the forces sensed by each connector, we design a decentralized control strategy to accomplish cooperative transport in which a leader robot guides the follower robots toward a destination by applying forces, instead of centralized information broadcasting. The experimental results show that the MRCTS works well on an uneven surface, and the tracking errors are within the design stroke of the connectors, demonstrating the effectiveness of the design and control methods of the MRCTS.
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