A recurrent neural network applied to optimal motion control of mobile robots with physical constraints

Conventional solutions, such as the conventional recurrent neural network (CRNN) and gradient recurrent neural network (GRNN), for the motion control of mobile robots in the unified framework of recurrent neural network (RNN) are difficult to simultaneously consider both criteria optimization and physical constraints. The limitation of the RNN solution may lead to the damage of mobile robots for exceeding physical constraints during the task execution. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes a novel inequality and equality constrained optimization RNN (IECORNN) to handle the motion control of mobile robots. Firstly, the real-time motion control problem with both criteria optimization and physical constraints is skillfully converted to a real-time equality system by leveraging the Lagrange multiplier rule. Then, the detailed design process for the proposed IECORNN is presented together with the neural network architecture developed. Afterward, theoretical analyses on the motion control problem conversion equivalence, global stability, and exponential convergence property are rigorously provided. Finally, two numerical simulation verifications and extensive comparisons with other existing RNNs, e.g., the CRNN and the GRNN, based on the mobile robot for two different path-tracking applications sufficiently demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed IECORNN for the real-time motion control of mobile robots with both criteria optimization and physical constraints. This work makes progresses in both theory as well as practice, and fills the vacancy in the unified framework of RNN in motion control of mobile robots

Simultaneous identification, tracking control and disturbance rejection of uncertain nonlinear dynamics systems: A unified neural approach

Previous works of traditional zeroing neural networks (or termed Zhang neural networks, ZNN) show great success for solving specific time-variant problems of known systems in an ideal environment. However, it is still a challenging issue for the ZNN to effectively solve time-variant problems for uncertain systems without the prior knowledge. Simultaneously, the involvement of external disturbances in the neural network model makes it even hard for time-variant problem solving due to the intensively computational burden and low accuracy. In this paper, a unified neural approach of simultaneous identification, tracking control and disturbance rejection in the framework of the ZNN is proposed to address the time-variant tracking control of uncertain nonlinear dynamics systems (UNDS). The neural network model derived by the proposed approach captures hidden relations between inputs and outputs of the UNDS. The proposed model shows outstanding tracking performance even under the influences of uncertainties and disturbances. Then, the continuous-time model is discretized via Euler forward formula (EFF). The corresponding discrete algorithm and block diagram are also presented for the convenience of implementation. Theoretical analyses on the convergence property and discretization accuracy are presented to verify the performance of the neural network model. Finally, numerical studies, robot applications, performance comparisons and tests demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed neural network model for the time-variant tracking control of UNDS

Linear Simultaneous Equations’ Neural Solution and Its Application to Convex Quadratic Programming with Equality-Constraint

A gradient-based neural network (GNN) is improved and presented for the linear algebraic equation solving. Then, such a GNN model is used for the online solution of the convex quadratic programming (QP) with equality-constraints under the usage of Lagrangian function and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) condition. According to the electronic architecture of such a GNN, it is known that the performance of the presented GNN could be enhanced by adopting different activation function arrays and/or design parameters. Computer simulation results substantiate that such a GNN could obtain the accurate solution of the QP problem with an effective manner

Design and analysis of recurrent neural network models with non‐linear activation functions for solving time‐varying quadratic programming problems

A special recurrent neural network (RNN), that is the zeroing neural network (ZNN), is adopted to find solutions to time‐varying quadratic programming (TVQP) problems with equality and inequality constraints. However, there are some weaknesses in activation functions of traditional ZNN models, including convex restriction and redundant formulation. With the aid of different activation functions, modified ZNN models are obtained to overcome the drawbacks for solving TVQP problems. Theoretical and experimental research indicate that the proposed models are better and more effective at solving such TVQP problems