A generalization of path following for mobile robots

Abstract

Several authors have proposed some methods for applying path following in specific cases to mobile robots. When we try to extend the path following approach to the general problem several difficulties arise. We present a generalized technique to apply path following to a mobile robot with nonholonomic constraints. As an application example, we expose the case of mobile robots with a higher degree of manoeuvrability than the typical car-like robots. In particular we consider a robot that can turn around itself making a zero-radius turn; a case still not resolved as far as we know. Finally we propose a suitable control law for this example that ensures asymptotical convergence.