Regional optimal coverage control of multi-manipulator systems

Aiming at the coverage control problem of the manipulator with strong nonlinear characteristics, based on Voronoi diagram theory, a region optimal coverage control algorithm for multi-manipulator systems is proposed. Firstly, the target region is divided into Voronoi regions by calculating the position of the end effectors of each manipulator; Secondly, according to the convex optimization theory, the optimal movement of the joints and the end effectors of the multi-manipulator systems are measured by the defined objective cost function that describes the effect of area coverage control; Finally, combined with the special dynamic characteristics of the manipulator system, the distributed area optimal coverage controller of the multi-manipulator systems is given. The Lyapunov stability theory is used to analyze the stability of the algorithm. Numerical simulation experiments show that the algorithm is effective, that is, the proposed algorithm can make the end effectors of the multi-manipulator systems reach the corresponding Voronoi region centroids with the minimum cost function value, and the speed gradually converges to zero, forming the optimal coverage of the target region. In particular, the algorithm takes the manipulator as the research object, which enriches the existing research on the coverage control agent model. In addition, based on the nonlinear structural characteristics of the manipulator, the coverage control law of the task space designed in the algorithm can also be applied to the coverage control research of the second order system agent, expanding the existing coverage control research based on the first order system.