Design and control of an active suspension system for unmanned agricultural vehicles for field operations

In the design of both autonomously and remotely controlled unmanned agricultural vehicles it is important to use an efficient suspension system that enables free transit over uneven terrain. Most mobile robotic systems use either a direct or inverse kinematic structural model in order to accurately determine the position of the end effectors or joints. However, this increases the complexity of the system and requires greater computational effort. In this context, the objective of this work was to investigate a new strategy that integrates the concepts of zero moment point and fuzzy logic into the control system of a wheel-legged vehicle used in agricultural field operations. The control system was able to maintain the stability and working height of the vehicle within the established standards without the need for a kinematic model, thus offering a simpler solution to the problem.