Economic model predictive control for snake robot locomotion

In this work, the control of snake robot locomotion via economic model predictive control (MPC) is studied. Only very few examples of applications of MPC to snake robots exist and rigorous proofs for recursive feasibility and convergence are missing. We propose an economic MPC algorithm that maximizes the robot's forward velocity and integrates the choice of the gait pattern into the closed loop. We show recursive feasibility of the MPC optimization problem, where some of the developed techniques are also applicable for the analysis of a more general class of system. Besides, we provide performance results and illustrate the achieved performance by numerical simulations. We thereby show that the economic MPC algorithm outperforms a standard lateral undulation controller and achieves constraint satisfaction. Surprisingly, a gait pattern different to lateral undulation results from the optimization.Comment: Extended version, accepted for IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC) 2019. 8 pages, 5 figure

Economic model predictive control for snake robot locomotion

Abstract— In this work, the control of snake robot loco-motion via economic model predictive control (MPC) is studied.Only very few examples of applications of MPC to snake robotsexist and rigorous proofs for recursive feasibility and conver-gence are missing. We propose an economic MPC algorithmthat maximizes the robot’s forward velocity and integratesthe choice of the gait pattern into the closed loop. We showrecursive feasibility of the MPC optimization problem, wheresome of the developed techniques are also applicable for theanalysis of a more general class of system. Besides, we provideperformance results and illustrate the achieved performanceby numerical simulations. We thereby show that the economicMPC algorithm outperforms a standard lateral undulationcontroller and achieves constraint satisfaction. Surprisingly, agait pattern different to lateral undulation results from theoptimization