Time-Energy Optimal Control of a Mobile Robot Using Direct Numerical Method

TL;DR

This paper formulates and solves a multiobjective time-energy optimal control problem for a mobile robot using a direct numerical method, demonstrating flexibility and effective results in various scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to optimize both time and energy in mobile robot control via direct numerical methods, incorporating system constraints and nonlinear dynamics.

Findings

Effective control solutions respecting physical constraints.

Flexible framework for different optimization scenarios.

Results align with expected robot behavior.

Abstract

Optimal control of a mobile robot system is formulated. Multiobjective criteria of time and energy is employed. The optimal control problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem (NLP). The problem is solved using the direct method of numerical optimal control. This setting showed great flexibility in incorporating different information relating to the problem, namely physical constraints and nonlinear dynamics of the system. System inputs are considered as optimization variables, along with sampling periods of the applied inputs being optimization variables as well. Different scenarios on objectives of the problem are implemented and investigated. Interesting results are found in terms of complying with the expected behavior of a mobile robot system.