Consensus Tracking Under Directed Interaction Topologies: Algorithms and Experiments

Consensus tracking problems with, respectively, bounded control effort and directed switching interaction topologies are considered when a time-varying consensus reference state is available to only a subgroup of a team and the team members have only local interaction. A consensus tracking algorithm explicitly accounting for bounded control effort is proposed and analyzed under a directed fixed interaction topology. Furthermore, convergence analysis for a consensus tracking algorithm is provided when the time-varying consensus reference state is available to a dynamically changing subgroup of the team under directed switching inter-vehicle interaction topologies. Experimental results of a formation control application are demonstrated on a multi-robot platform to validate one of the proposed consensus tracking algorithms.