Linear parameter varying-based control of a riderless bicycle with linear actuators

Abstract

Riderless bicycles, which belong to the class of narrow autonomous vehicles, offer numerous potentials to improve living conditions in the smart cities of the future. Various obstacles exist in achieving full autonomy for this class of autonomous vehicles. One of these significant challenges lie within the synthesis of automatic control algorithms that provide self-balancing and maneuvering capabilities for this class of autonomous vehicles. Indeed, the nonlinear, underactuated, and non-minimum phase dynamics of riderless bicycles offer rich challenges for automatic control of these autonomous vehicles. In this paper, we report on implementing linear parameter varying (LPV)-based controllers for balancing our constructed autonomous bicycle, which is equipped with linear electric actuators for automatic steering, in the upright position. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.