Fixed-time formation behavior control for Unmanned Ground Vehicle-Manipulators

Abstract This paper proposes a fixed-time formation behavior control (Fixed-FBC) method for Unmanned Ground Vehicle-Manipulators (UGVMs) operating under strongly coupled nonlinear dynamics and external disturbances in static obstacle environments. The proposed solution first develops a nonholonomic null-space behavioral control (N-NSBC) framework that incorporates fixed-time control strategies to transform the multi-objective coordination problem into a single-objective tracking control task, simultaneously guaranteeing fixed-time convergence of task errors while inherently avoiding local minima through exploitation of the system's nonholonomic characteristics. Subsequently, the study then designs an adaptive fixed-time tracking controller for each UGVM, equipped with an adaptive term that provides real-time dynamic compensation for both external disturbances and uncertain nonlinear dynamics, thereby ensuring all UGVMs achieve fixed-time convergence to the desired formation while maintaining obstacle avoidance. Finally, comprehensive simulation studies validate the efficacy of the proposed Fixed-FBC method, demonstrating a $76%$ reduction in settling time while reliably escaping local minima, significantly outperforming conventional approaches.