Real-Time Mobile Robot Teleoperation over IP Networks Based on Predictive Control

This paper presents a system that enables remote operator to control a mobile robot with real-time control style via Internet. To compensate network delay and cancel its impact on teleoperation system, we adopt predictive control scheme based on a modified Smith predictor that we proposed previously. To guarantee stability and transparency of system, a dynamic model manager is described from sensors information exchange between the master and slave side, where model and force feedback errors are regulated under a fuzzy controller. In addition to force feedback, virtual predictive display is introduced to enhance the real-time efficiency of teleoperation. To predict time delay precisely, a novel timer synchronization algorithm is proposed. To decrease delay jittering, data buffer scheme is achieved at both sides together with its two algorithms. The usefulness and effectiveness of the developed method and system have been validated by teleoperation experiments through Internet on long distance.