This paper provides theoretical foundation for the problem of localization in multi-robot formations. Sufficient and necessary conditions for completely localizing a formation of mobile robots/vehicles in SE(2) based ...This paper provides theoretical foundation for the problem of localization in multi-robot formations. Sufficient and necessary conditions for completely localizing a formation of mobile robots/vehicles in SE(2) based on distributed sensor networks and graph rigidity are proposed. A method for estimating the quality of localizations via a linearized weighted least-squares algorithm is presented, which considers incomplete and noisy sensory information. The approach in this paper had been implemented in a multi-robot system of five car-like robots equipped with omni-directional cameras and IEEE 802.11b wireless network.展开更多
This paper considers the formation tracking problem under a rigidity framework, where the target formation is specified as a minimally and infinitesimally rigid formation and the desired velocity of the group is avail...This paper considers the formation tracking problem under a rigidity framework, where the target formation is specified as a minimally and infinitesimally rigid formation and the desired velocity of the group is available to only a subset of the agents. The following two cases are considered： the desired velocity is constant, and the desired velocity is timevarying. In the first case, a distributed linear estimator is constructed for each agent to estimate the desired velocity. The velocity estimation and a formation acquisition term are employed to design the control inputs for the agents, where the rigidity matrix plays a central role. In the second case, a distributed non-smooth estimator is constructed to estimate the time-varying velocity, which is shown to converge in a finite time. Theoretical analysis shows that the formation tracking problem can be solved under the proposed control algorithms and estimators. Simulation results are also provided to show the validity of the derived results.展开更多
This paper investigates the node localization problem for wireless sensor networks in three-dimension space. A distributed localization algorithm is presented based on the rigid graph. Before location, the communicati...This paper investigates the node localization problem for wireless sensor networks in three-dimension space. A distributed localization algorithm is presented based on the rigid graph. Before location, the communication radius is adaptively increasing to add the localizability. The localization process includes three steps: firstly, divide the whole globally rigid graph into several small rigid blocks; secondly, set up the local coordinate systems and transform them to global coordinate system; finally, use the quadrilateration iteration technology to locate the nodes in the wireless sensor network. This algorithm has the advantages of low energy consumption, low computational complexity as well as high expandability and high localizability. Moreover, it can achieve the unique and accurate localization. Finally, some simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.展开更多
This paper derives a distance-based formation control method to maintain the desired formation shape for spacecraft in a gravitational potential field. The method is an analogy of a virtual spring-damper mesh. Spacecr...This paper derives a distance-based formation control method to maintain the desired formation shape for spacecraft in a gravitational potential field. The method is an analogy of a virtual spring-damper mesh. Spacecraft are connected virtually by spring-damper pairs. Convergence analysis is performed using the energy method. Approximate expressions for the distance errors and control accelerations at steady state are derived by using algebraic graph representations and results of graph rigidity. Analytical results indicate that if the underlying graph of the mesh is rigid, the convergence to a static shape is assured, and higher formation control precision can be achieved by increasing the elastic coefficient without increasing the control accelerations. A numerical example of spacecraft formation in low Earth orbit confirms the theoretical analysis and shows that the desired formation shape can be well achieved using the presented method, whereas the orientation of the formation can be kept pointing to the center of the Earth by the gravity gradient. The method is decentralized, and uses only relative measurement information. Constructing a distributed virtual structure in space can be the general application area. The proposed method can serve as an active shape control law for the spacecraft formations using propellantless internal forces.展开更多
This paper researched into some methods for generating min-weighted rigid graphs and min-weighted persistent graphs. Rigidity and persistence are currently used in various studies on coordination and control of autono...This paper researched into some methods for generating min-weighted rigid graphs and min-weighted persistent graphs. Rigidity and persistence are currently used in various studies on coordination and control of autonomous multi-agent formations. To minimize the communication complexity of formations and reduce energy consumption, this paper introduces the rigidity matrix and presents three algorithms for generating rain-weighted rigid and min- weighted persistent graphs. First, the existence of a min-weighted rigid graph is proved by using the rigidity matrix, and algorithm 1 is presented to generate the min-weighted rigid graphs. Second, the algorithm 2 based on the rigidity matrix is presented to direct the edges of min-weighted rigid graphs to generate min-weighted persistent graphs. Third, the formations with range constraints are considered, and algorithm 3 is presented to find whether a framework can form a min-weighted persistent formation. Finally, some simulations are given to show the efficiency of our research.展开更多
In this paper, decentralized methods of optimally rigid graphs generation for formation control are researched. The notion of optimally rigid graph is first defined in this paper to describe a special kind of rigid gr...In this paper, decentralized methods of optimally rigid graphs generation for formation control are researched. The notion of optimally rigid graph is first defined in this paper to describe a special kind of rigid graphs. The optimally rigid graphs can be used to decrease the topology complexity of graphs while maintaining their shapes. To minimize the communication complexity of formations, we study the theory of optimally rigid formation generation. First, four important propositions are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of using a decentralized method to generate optimally rigid graphs. Then, a formation algorithm for multi-agent systems based on these propositions is proposed. At last, some simulation examples are given to show the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.展开更多
Unmanned clusters can realize collaborative work,fexible confguration,and efcient operation,which has become an important development trend of unmanned platforms.Cluster positioning is important for ensuring the norma...Unmanned clusters can realize collaborative work,fexible confguration,and efcient operation,which has become an important development trend of unmanned platforms.Cluster positioning is important for ensuring the normal operation of unmanned clusters.The existing solutions have some problems such as requiring external system assistance,high system complexity,poor architecture scalability,and accumulation of positioning errors over time.Without the aid of the information outside the cluster,we plan to construct the relative position relationship with north alignment to adopt formation control and achieve robust cluster relative positioning.Based on the idea of bionics,this paper proposes a cluster robust hierarchical positioning architecture by analyzing the autonomous behavior of pigeon focks.We divide the clusters into follower clusters,core clusters,and leader nodes,which can realize fexible networking and cluster expansion.Aiming at the core cluster that is the most critical to relative positioning in the architecture,we propose a cluster relative positioning algorithm based on spatiotemporal correlation information.With the design idea of low cost and large-scale application,the algorithm uses intra-cluster ranging and the inertial navigation motion vector to construct the positioning equation and solves it through the Multidimensional Scaling(MDS)and Multiple Objective Particle Swarm Optimization(MOPSO)algorithms.The cluster formation is abstracted as a mixed direction-distance graph and the graph rigidity theory is used to analyze localizability conditions of the algorithm.We designed the cluster positioning simulation software and conducted localizability tests and positioning accuracy tests in diferent scenarios.Compared with the relative positioning algorithm based on Extended Kalman Filter(EKF),the algorithm proposed in this paper has more relaxed positioning conditions and can adapt to a variety of scenarios.It also has higher relative positioning accuracy,and the error does not accumulate over time.展开更多
文摘This paper provides theoretical foundation for the problem of localization in multi-robot formations. Sufficient and necessary conditions for completely localizing a formation of mobile robots/vehicles in SE(2) based on distributed sensor networks and graph rigidity are proposed. A method for estimating the quality of localizations via a linearized weighted least-squares algorithm is presented, which considers incomplete and noisy sensory information. The approach in this paper had been implemented in a multi-robot system of five car-like robots equipped with omni-directional cameras and IEEE 802.11b wireless network.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.61473240)
文摘This paper considers the formation tracking problem under a rigidity framework, where the target formation is specified as a minimally and infinitesimally rigid formation and the desired velocity of the group is available to only a subset of the agents. The following two cases are considered： the desired velocity is constant, and the desired velocity is timevarying. In the first case, a distributed linear estimator is constructed for each agent to estimate the desired velocity. The velocity estimation and a formation acquisition term are employed to design the control inputs for the agents, where the rigidity matrix plays a central role. In the second case, a distributed non-smooth estimator is constructed to estimate the time-varying velocity, which is shown to converge in a finite time. Theoretical analysis shows that the formation tracking problem can be solved under the proposed control algorithms and estimators. Simulation results are also provided to show the validity of the derived results.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(61375105 61403334)
文摘This paper investigates the node localization problem for wireless sensor networks in three-dimension space. A distributed localization algorithm is presented based on the rigid graph. Before location, the communication radius is adaptively increasing to add the localizability. The localization process includes three steps: firstly, divide the whole globally rigid graph into several small rigid blocks; secondly, set up the local coordinate systems and transform them to global coordinate system; finally, use the quadrilateration iteration technology to locate the nodes in the wireless sensor network. This algorithm has the advantages of low energy consumption, low computational complexity as well as high expandability and high localizability. Moreover, it can achieve the unique and accurate localization. Finally, some simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 61273351 and 61673390)
文摘This paper derives a distance-based formation control method to maintain the desired formation shape for spacecraft in a gravitational potential field. The method is an analogy of a virtual spring-damper mesh. Spacecraft are connected virtually by spring-damper pairs. Convergence analysis is performed using the energy method. Approximate expressions for the distance errors and control accelerations at steady state are derived by using algebraic graph representations and results of graph rigidity. Analytical results indicate that if the underlying graph of the mesh is rigid, the convergence to a static shape is assured, and higher formation control precision can be achieved by increasing the elastic coefficient without increasing the control accelerations. A numerical example of spacecraft formation in low Earth orbit confirms the theoretical analysis and shows that the desired formation shape can be well achieved using the presented method, whereas the orientation of the formation can be kept pointing to the center of the Earth by the gravity gradient. The method is decentralized, and uses only relative measurement information. Constructing a distributed virtual structure in space can be the general application area. The proposed method can serve as an active shape control law for the spacecraft formations using propellantless internal forces.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (Grant No 60525303)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 60704009)Doctor Fund of Yanshan University (Grant NoB203)
文摘This paper researched into some methods for generating min-weighted rigid graphs and min-weighted persistent graphs. Rigidity and persistence are currently used in various studies on coordination and control of autonomous multi-agent formations. To minimize the communication complexity of formations and reduce energy consumption, this paper introduces the rigidity matrix and presents three algorithms for generating rain-weighted rigid and min- weighted persistent graphs. First, the existence of a min-weighted rigid graph is proved by using the rigidity matrix, and algorithm 1 is presented to generate the min-weighted rigid graphs. Second, the algorithm 2 based on the rigidity matrix is presented to direct the edges of min-weighted rigid graphs to generate min-weighted persistent graphs. Third, the formations with range constraints are considered, and algorithm 3 is presented to find whether a framework can form a min-weighted persistent formation. Finally, some simulations are given to show the efficiency of our research.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 60934003, No. 61074065)Key Project for Natural Science Research of Hebei Education Department (No. ZD200908)
文摘In this paper, decentralized methods of optimally rigid graphs generation for formation control are researched. The notion of optimally rigid graph is first defined in this paper to describe a special kind of rigid graphs. The optimally rigid graphs can be used to decrease the topology complexity of graphs while maintaining their shapes. To minimize the communication complexity of formations, we study the theory of optimally rigid formation generation. First, four important propositions are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of using a decentralized method to generate optimally rigid graphs. Then, a formation algorithm for multi-agent systems based on these propositions is proposed. At last, some simulation examples are given to show the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
基金Science and Technology on Complex System Control and Intelligent Agent Cooperative Laboratory foundation(201101).
文摘Unmanned clusters can realize collaborative work,fexible confguration,and efcient operation,which has become an important development trend of unmanned platforms.Cluster positioning is important for ensuring the normal operation of unmanned clusters.The existing solutions have some problems such as requiring external system assistance,high system complexity,poor architecture scalability,and accumulation of positioning errors over time.Without the aid of the information outside the cluster,we plan to construct the relative position relationship with north alignment to adopt formation control and achieve robust cluster relative positioning.Based on the idea of bionics,this paper proposes a cluster robust hierarchical positioning architecture by analyzing the autonomous behavior of pigeon focks.We divide the clusters into follower clusters,core clusters,and leader nodes,which can realize fexible networking and cluster expansion.Aiming at the core cluster that is the most critical to relative positioning in the architecture,we propose a cluster relative positioning algorithm based on spatiotemporal correlation information.With the design idea of low cost and large-scale application,the algorithm uses intra-cluster ranging and the inertial navigation motion vector to construct the positioning equation and solves it through the Multidimensional Scaling(MDS)and Multiple Objective Particle Swarm Optimization(MOPSO)algorithms.The cluster formation is abstracted as a mixed direction-distance graph and the graph rigidity theory is used to analyze localizability conditions of the algorithm.We designed the cluster positioning simulation software and conducted localizability tests and positioning accuracy tests in diferent scenarios.Compared with the relative positioning algorithm based on Extended Kalman Filter(EKF),the algorithm proposed in this paper has more relaxed positioning conditions and can adapt to a variety of scenarios.It also has higher relative positioning accuracy,and the error does not accumulate over time.
