Formation Control of Second-Order Multiagent System via Stochastic Control Input
Keqi Luo, Bo Zhang, Wei Can Meng · IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics · 2023
This work presents an approach for realizing the formation control of a second-order multiagent system using stochastic noises. The system is modeled as a virtual structure tracking control system with unicycle-type robots under a star-topology. A method for controlling the linear and rotational acceleration by stochastic feedback is proposed. Unlike traditional control methods, this approach does not require negative feedback, which allows for wider ranges of control gains. In addition, compared with the stochastic control problem of the first-order system, it provides a smoother stochastic trajectory of motion, which reduces the burden on the actuators. The stochastic motion also has the attached benefit of providing robot formations with a strategic advantage in some cases. The position, velocity, and angle errors are analyzed through the Itô’s formula, basic inequalities, and the Lyapunov method. Finally, the system and controller are tested through both numerical and physical simulations.