Path Following Algorithms

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Currently I am working on developing my Leader-Follower algorithm and researching different approaches to achieve such goal. In this blog entry I want to discuss some of those approaches and the possibility to incorporate them with my algorithm.

An interesting strategy is called the “carrot following approach” where the leader transmits sub-goals to the follower and the follower uses at least two of them to locate the leader. Updates are transmitted periodically and simple mathematics and attitude estimation are used to follow the leader.

A different approach is to use controllers that produce command curvatures such as Pure Pursuit and proportional integral derivative (PID) controllers. Pure Pursuit was used by many different robots to maintain better navigations. Using Pure Pursuit with the carrot following approach has a great potential to help my algorithm. In such strategy the y position of the carrot and a specific look-ahead distance are used to locate the leader and calculate command curvature. Pure Pursuit is based on simple math but stability is a controversial. PID is more stable and uses complex mathematics but it has poor path following around curves.

Time: 5.5 hrs.