Versatile Distributed Maneuvering with Generalized Formations using Guiding Vector Fields

TL;DR

This paper introduces a unified, vector field-based method for versatile distributed robot maneuvering in generalized formations, enabling complex cooperative motions like tracking and circumnavigation with theoretical validation and practical experiments.

Contribution

It develops a singularity-free guiding vector field framework for versatile formation control, integrating interception and enclosing maneuvers with a distributed coordination mechanism.

Findings

Effective in achieving formation tracking, target enclosing, and circumnavigation

Theoretical proof of singularity-free guiding vector fields

Validated through extensive simulations and experiments

Abstract

This paper presents a unified approach to realize versatile distributed maneuvering with generalized formations. Specifically, we decompose the robots' maneuvers into two independent components, i.e., interception and enclosing, which are parameterized by two independent virtual coordinates. Treating these two virtual coordinates as dimensions of an abstract manifold, we derive the corresponding singularity-free guiding vector field (GVF), which, along with a distributed coordination mechanism based on the consensus theory, guides robots to achieve various motions (i.e., versatile maneuvering), including (a) formation tracking, (b) target enclosing, and (c) circumnavigation. Additional motion parameters can generate more complex cooperative robot motions. Based on GVFs, we design a controller for a nonholonomic robot model. Besides the theoretical results, extensive simulations and experiments are performed to validate the effectiveness of the approach.