Performance analysis of a PID fractional order control in a differential mobile robot

This work deals with the tracking trajectory problem for a differential-drive mobile robot taking into account a dynamic extension from the kinematic model and, controlling a front point located at a certain distance perpendicular to the mid-axis of the wheels. Two controls are proposed, a PID fractional order controller ((PID mu)-D-delta) and a PD fractional order controller (PD mu), both based on the tracking errors. The proposed controllers are obtained by means of the input-output linearization technique. On the other hand, the controller fractional terms are based on the Caputo's operator. Numerical simulations with different fractional orders are presented and compared with the integer order PID controller, showing the variations that occurred when changing only the controller order.