Behaviour‐based control approach for the trajectory tracking of an underactuated planar capsule robot

Abstract

A miniature capsule robot (capsubot) – which has no external moving parts whereas a conventional robot has legs and/or wheels – is suitable for in‐vivo applications, engineering diagnosis and pipe inspection. This study addresses the trajectory‐tracking problem of an underactuated planar capsubot. A combining piecewise and behaviour‐based control algorithm is proposed for trajectory tracking. This study also proposes four motion behaviours, four switching behaviours and one stationary behaviour. A selection algorithm for behaviour‐based control and rules for inner mass (IM) motion control in all the behaviours are developed. The partial feedback linearisation control is used for low‐level IM motion control while the piecewise and behaviour‐based control is used for the capsubot trajectory tracking control.