Global Finite-Time Partial Stabilization for a Class of Nonholonomic Mobile Robots Subject to Input Saturation

Abstract

In this paper, the global finite-time partial stabilization problem is discussed for a class of nonholonomic mobile wheeled robots with continuous pure state feedback and subject to input saturation. Firstly, for the mobile robot kinematic model, a “3 inputs, 2 chains, 1 generator” nonholonomic chained form systems can be obtained by using a state and input transformation. The continuous, saturated pure state feedback control law is proposed such that the special chained form systems can be stabilized to zero (except an angle variable) in a finite time, i.e., finite-time partial stabilization. Secondly, the rigorous stability analysis of the corresponding closed-loop system is presented by applying Lyapunov theorem combined with the finite-time control theory, and the angle variable can be proved to converge to a constant, moreover, its convergent limit may be accurately estimated in advance. Finally, the simulation results show the correctness and the validity of the proposed controller not only for the chained system but also for the original mobile robots system.