Cooperative Transfer Control by Using Mobile Robots with Passive Joint Mechanism (Level Control of Carrier Platform on Slope by Using Fuzzy Set Theory)

This paper proposes a cooperative transfer control method by using three wheeled mobile robots (WMRs). One WMR is designated as a leader, and the other two WMRs are followers. A carrier platform is supported by links with passive joints on the WMRs. The carrier platform is always kept levelly when WMRs run along a straight path on a slope. The level control of the carrier platform is achieved by a position control of WMRs. The positions of the followers are controlled by using a fuzzy set theory to level the carrier platform, while the leader runs along the target path. Membership functions of the fuzzy set theory are designed by using a genetic algorithm. The usefulness of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulation and experimental results.