Trajectory control of trailer type mobile robots

Abstract

A control algorithm for a trailer-type mobile robot is proposed. With this algorithm, a trailer can move along a straight line and a circular arc curve both in forward and backward directions. A trailer command system which specifies the path of trailer type robot as straight lines or circular arcs has also been designed and implemented on a real experimental trailer type mobile robot. The effectiveness of the proposed control method is verified by numerical simulations and experiments using the authors' self-contained autonomous mobile robot, the Yamabico.