Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for Omnidirectional Robots: Focus on Virtual Learning Environments

This paper presents a simulator developed in Unity with the objective of evaluate control strategies for omnidirectional mobile robots. The simulator allows the interconnection with any mathematical software that performs the algorithms. The virtual reality environment has a digital twin of a omnidirectional robot; the simulator incorporates the mathematical model of the robot. Consequently, this work also includes the kinematic and dynamic model of the omnidirectional robot with the validation and identification of parameters. In addition, a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) scheme with dynamic compensation is proposed for trajectory tracking. In order to validate the controller and adjust the controller parameters, the virtual simulator is used. Once the controller settings have been adjusted, experimental tests are carried out with the physical robot in a partially structured environment.