Geometric approach to tracking and stabilization for a spherical robot actuated by internal rotors

Abstract

This paper presents tracking control laws for two different objectives of a nonholonomic system - a spherical robot - using a geometric approach. The first control law addresses orientation tracking using a modified trace potential function. The second law addresses contact position tracking using a $right$ transport map for the angular velocity error. A special case of this is position and reduced orientation stabilization. Both control laws are coordinate free. The performance of the feedback control laws are demonstrated through simulations.