Optimal formation and control of cooperative wheeled mobile robots

In this paper, the optimal formation of a team of wheeled robot is dealt with for manipulating a common object. The robotic team has been commanded to transport the object from an initial pose along a specified path to a terminal pose. To this end, a proper cost function encompassing various aspects will be established and the grasping points of the object will be then determined employing various numerical optimization techniques such as Simulated Annealing, Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization. Finally, the team is controlled using a virtual structure-based approach and multiple-impedance-control strategy so as the obtained optimal formation can be realized.