This paper presents control and coordination algorithms for groups of vehicles. The focus is on autonomous vehicle networks performing distributed sensing tasks where each vehicle plays the role of a mobile tunable sensor. The paper proposes gradient descent algorithms for a class of utility functions which encode optimal coverage and sensing policies. The resulting closed-loop behavior is adaptive, distributed, asynchronous, and verifiably correct.

Coverage control for mobile sensing networks

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems are designed to provide longitudinal assistance for drivers to enhance safety and reduce workload. As the core of all ACC control algorithms, the spacing policy plays a crucial role in various aspects. This paper presents a comprehensive survey on spacing policies for existing ACC solutions in the literature. The objectives of this paper are to clarify the operating mechanisms and characteristics of the common spacing policies, and to reveal their advantages and shortcomings by means of a comparative study. In this survey, the general evaluation criteria for spacing policies are first introduced. Then, the existing spacing policies are categorized into different types according to their operating mechanisms, and their characteristics are carefully reviewed and explained. A comparative study is followed to analyze the performances of five typical spacing policies in the literature, including the constant spacing policy, constant time headway, traffic flow stability, constant safety factor and human driving behavior spacing policies. The contents provided in this paper serve as a tool for understanding current ACC spacing policies, and pave the way for future ACC enhancement.

/pdf/spacing-policies-for-adaptive-cruise-control-a-survey-2qtksrw9t2.pdf

Spacing Policies for Adaptive Cruise Control: A Survey

http://www.dia.uned.es/proyectos/dpi2004-01804/documents/revistas/Revista23.pdf

An interactive tool for mobile robot motion planning

The recent increasing threat of chemical weapon technologies has highlighted the need for an efficient detection of hazardous emission sources. One promising area of technological development is odour source detection using plume-tracing mobile robots. Using plume-tracing mobile robots has the potential to detect emissions caused by dangerous sources such as early stage fire, toxic gas and explosives, without endangering human life during the detection and source localisation process. Simulation has been popular and useful for researchers in various researches. Similarly, simulation is also good for developing and testing plume-tracing algorithms before being realised in real robots. This study presents the development of a simulation framework for plume-tracing research. This simulation framework integrated the plume data produced using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software with a simulated mobile robot in Matlab to simulate a more realistic scenario for plume-tracing research. Preliminary simulation had been conducted in this framework and it demonstrated this simulation framework is appropriate to be used for the simulation of plume-tracing research.

/pdf/a-simulation-framework-for-plume-tracing-research-2b2pxim6wm.pdf

A Simulation Framework for Plume-Tracing Research

This paper presents an open-source Matlab-based interactive software tool for teaching mobile robotics in introductory courses In particular, it deals with the subjects: modeling, path planning, and motion control This simulator offers the advantage of testing different aspects related to these fundamental topics and instantly seeing the result in a Graphical User Interface (GUI) This fact leads to a high realism in interactivity, while no previous knowledge in Matlab or programming is required Additionally, it constitutes an easily scalable tool, the GUI has been properly designed with just one single window with straightforward and intuitive buttons, icons, and figures Some illustrative examples demonstrate the benefits of the proposed simulator

A Matlab-based interactive simulator for mobile robotics

This paper is concerned with the problem of finding a time-optimal velocity profile along the predefined path for static formations of mobile robots in order to traverse the path in shortest time and to satisfy, for each mobile robot in the formation, velocity, acceleration, tip over and wheel slip prevention constraints. Time-optimal velocity planning is achieved using so called bang-bang control where minimum and maximum accelerations of the formation are alternating. The developed trajectory planning algorithm is demonstrated on the formation of differential drive mobile robots.

Time-optimal velocity planning along predefined path for static formations of mobile robots

In the development of mobile robot control algorithms the researchers are often faced with the problem of ensuring safety operation of used mobile robot during the real mobile robot experiment phase. For this reason implemented control algorithms have to be firstly tested in various simulation scenarios. Appropriate simulation tools have to enable easy creation of different simulation setups, usage of different sensors, collection and evaluation of sensor measurements, examination of noise influence, etc. This paper describes a developed simulation tool for such a purpose – AMORsim (Autonomous MObile Robots simulator), a mobile robot simulator that’ s able to simulate a three-wheeled user-defined mobile robot in a two-dimensional environment. It’ s written in Matlab, which is a common, and well-known simulation environment.

/pdf/amorsim-a-mobile-robot-simulator-for-matlab-44e71mkj8f.pdf

AMORsim - A Mobile Robot Simulator for Matlab

Vehicle platoon systems are a promising approach for new transportation systems because of their innovative capabilities. A basic problem in platoon systems is the control of the inter-vehicle spacing. In this paper, a new nonlinear longitudinal spacing control of vehicles in a platoon is proposed, which takes into account both vehicle characteristics and road conditions. It ensures the string stability of a string of vehicles, traffic flow stability and in comparison with the common constant time-gap spacing control policy increases the capacity of the traffic flow.

Longitudinal spacing control of vehicles in a platoon for stable and increased traffic flow

Many cooperative tasks in real world environments need the robots to maintain some desired formations when moving. Formation control refers to the problem of controlling the relative position and orientation of robots in a group, while allowing the group to move as a whole. In this paper, a novel leader-follower formation control law for multiple non-holonomic mobile robots based on kinematic models and trajectory tracking techniques is proposed.

A leader-follower approach to formation control of multiple non-holonomic mobile robots

The Greek power system is facing significant changes as the government’s policy is focused on an energy transition aligned with the European Union future plans by implementing comprehensive reforms in the energy sector to drive decarbonization, increase the share of renewable power plants and foster competitive markets. This transition is expected to create significant challenges to the operation of the future Greek power system. In this context, a Wide Area Monitoring, Protection and Control (WAMPAC) System is developed that is expected to serve as a useful tool for monitoring and controlling the steady and dynamic state of the power grid. Fifteen (15) time synchronized phasor measurement units are currently being installed in critical locations to gather data and online transmit them to phasor data concentrators in order to be used by the WAMPAC system. Moreover, a holistic design approach is adopted for the WAMPAC system with various protection and control services that aim to deal with the expected upcoming challenges. Overall, in this paper the developed augmented WAMPAC design approach and implementation is thoroughly described in order to serve as a roadmap for future power systems.

Toni Petrinić

Papers

Time-optimal velocity planning along predefined path for static formations of mobile robots

AMORsim - A Mobile Robot Simulator for Matlab

Longitudinal spacing control of vehicles in a platoon for stable and increased traffic flow

A leader-follower approach to formation control of multiple non-holonomic mobile robots

Design of a WAMPAC System for Implementation in the Greek Transmission System