Development and control of a novel-structure two-wheeled robotic vehicle manoeuvrable in different terrains

This thesis presents the development of a novel two-wheeled robotic vehicle with a movable payload and able to manoeuvre in different environments and terrains. The vehicle structure is based on the double inverted pendulum on cart mechanism. The system has five degrees of freedom that allow the vehicle to serve as a basis for new mobility solution applications. In this study, the vehicle model is derived mathematically using the Euler-Lagrange approach to describe the system dynamics. A hybrid fuzzy logic control approach is designed to stabilise and drive the vehicle on different terrains with different inclination angles. The Matlab Simulink environment is used to simulate the vehicle system. A hybrid spiral dynamic bacteria chemotaxis optimisation algorithm is used to optimise the control parameters to achieve the least mean square error of system response and to reduce the amount of exerted control effort. Various simulation scenarios are considered to demonstrate the vehicle’s ability to work on smooth and frictional surfaces.
Disturbances are applied to the vehicle to evaluate the performance of the developed control system in coping with disturbances of variable amplitudes and durations. It is shown that the vehicle exhibits a stable response and a high degree of control robustness. A steering mechanism is implemented to drive the vehicle in different environments and terrains encountered in real life. Environment modelling has been incorporated into the vehicle system to simulate various ground types and levels of frictional forces.
It is demonstrated that the vehicle is able to successfully manoeuvre in indoor and outdoor environments and on flat and sloped surfaces fulfilling the aims and objectives of the research.