Dynamic Parameter Estimation and Trajectory Control of Two-Wheeled Mobile Manipulator on an Inclined Surface

In this study, the hardware design, manufacturing, and control of a Two-Wheeled Inverted Pendulum Manipulator (TWIPM) are successfully achieved. The system comprises a two-degree-of-freedom independently driven chassis integrated with a three-degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator. To enable the robot to navigate and reach designated target coordinates on inclined terrain, an autonomous trajectory planning scheme is implemented using the A* algorithm, and the system’s mathematical model is comprehensively updated. To ensure balance stability and enhance robustness against external perturbations, a PI-based supplementary control architecture is proposed to support the core PID controllers governing wheel angular position and chassis tilt. The efficacy of the proposed control strategy is initially validated via numerical simulations under various reference trajectories and disturbance inputs on flat surfaces. Subsequently, experimental validations conducted on a physical testbed featuring an inclined ramp demonstrate the robot’s autonomous trajectory tracking and precise trajectory tracking positioning capabilities, confirming its real-world viability. Finally, future research directions are outlined, focusing on end-effector position optimization, the integration of a dynamic payload estimator under varying weights, and the fully onboard execution of navigation algorithms on the central microcontroller.