Nonlinear steering control strategy for an optical stripe tracker

To understand control system theory in a more interesting way theoretical principles must be implemented by the students in a laboratory prototype. As an example of such a prototype a low cost differential drive mobile robot was constructed with the objective to put together theory and praxis. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are widely used in factories and warehouses for material transportation. Most of them follow a stripe or wire path installed on the floor of the operating area. An optical stripe tracker can be easily assembled with low cost components and represents a very interesting system to be controlled by different linear and nonlinear control schemes. Following this idea students had to project and implement the steering control of a low cost AGV constructed by themselves using their knowledge from different disciplines. Interdisciplinary work and teamwork are also encouraged. The mathematical analysis of the system plant and the development of a nonlinear steering control strategy for this prototype are presented in this article. Simulation and experimental results are also included.