A new procedure for multi-mode sequential flocking with application to multiple non-holonomic mobile robot motion control: Mode description and integration principle

This is the first of two-part paper that investigates the multi-mode sequential flocking with application to multiple non-holonomic mobile robot motion control. To provide a new procedure to avoid collisions and obstacles in the process of multi-robot's sequential flocking, this paper presents the design of a multi-model flocking control for multiple mobile robots in terms of behaviour-based robotics. Some nature-imitating behaviour modes are integrated into the new sequential flocking strategy, including single-robot potential-based behaviour, singlerobot wall-following behaviour, multi-robot rigid-body bouncing behaviour, multi-robot pathtracking behaviour and their fusion state. In this way, the efficient collision and obstacle avoidance in flocking motion can be achieved. Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd