Robotic Swarm Self-Organisation Control

Abstract

This article proposes a new swarm control method using distributed proportional-derivative (PD) control for self-organisation of swarm of nonholonomic robots. Kinematics control with distributed proportional-derivative (DPD) controller enables generation of desired robot trajectory achieving collective behaviour of a robotic swarm such as aggregation and pattern formation. Proposed method is a generalisation of virtual spring-damper control used in swarm self-organisation. The article includes the control algorithm synthesis using the Lyapunov control theory and numeric simulations results.