A Global Optimal Control Methodology and its Application to a Mobile Robot Model

What is it about?

The aim is to search and find the most intense signal source among other signal sources in the operation region of an omni-directional mobile robot. In other words, the control problem is to find the global extremum point when there are local extremas. The locations of the signal sources and the distribution characteristics of the signals are unknown. The control algorithm also doesn’t need any position measurement of the robot itself. Only the signal magnitude should be measured via a sensor mounted on the robot.

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Why is it important?

The controller doesn’t need to know the signal distribution characteristics, the locations of the signal sources and position of the robot itself. Henceforth, it can be used in the missions where the robot moves in an unknown terrain with no GPS and no inertial measurements. In the literature, this is the first global extremum seeking algorithm that has been developed for an omni-directional mobile robot model.