FPGA Implementation of an Embedded Robust Adaptive Controller for Autonomous Omnidirectional Mobile Platform

This paper presents an embedded adaptive robust controller for trajectory tracking and stabilization of an omnidirectional mobile platform with parameter variations and uncertainties caused by friction and slip. Based on a dynamic model of the platform, the adaptive controller to achieve point stabilization, trajectory tracking, and path following is synthesized via the adaptive backstepping approach. This robust adaptive controller is then implemented into a high-performance field-programmable gate array chip using hardware/software codesign technique and system-on-a-programmable-chip design concept with a reusable user intellectual property core library. Furthermore, a soft-core processor and a real-time operating system are embedded into the same chip for realizing the control law to steer the mobile platform. Simulation results are conducted to show the effectiveness and merit of the proposed control method in comparison with a conventional proportional-integral feedback controller. The performance and applicability of the proposed embedded adaptive controller are exemplified by conducting several experiments on an autonomous omnidirectional mobile robot.