Robust Feedback Linearization-based Control Design for a Wheeled Mobile Robot

This paper considers the trajectory tracking problem for a four-wheel driven, four-wheel steered mobile robot moving in outdoor terrain. The robot is modeled as a non-holonomic dynamic system subject to pure rolling, no-slip constraints. A nonlinear trajectory tracking feedback control law based on dynamic feedback linearization is designed for this model. Since several parameters in the model, in particular the ground-wheel contact friction, are not well known a priori, a robustness analysis is carried out for bounded uncertainties. It is demonstrated that uncertainties can render the closed-loop system unstable, and two approaches to avoid this are suggested