Fuzzy logic control for use in in-pipe mobile robotic system navigation

Abstract

This paper presents a fuzzy logic control for the navigation of a mobile robotic system in gas pipelines. The robotic system is designed for a local gas distribution pipeline network with 150–300mm diameter pipes; common pipe fittings in use are straight and bend sections, reducers and slope pipe sections. The navigation problem forms a part of the current development of a new modular and semi-autonomous vehicle system. The vehicle control and navigation technique is implemented using a two-mode controller consisting of a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) and fuzzy logic control. The PID controller is responsible for direct control of the actuators, while the fuzzy logic controller is used to evaluate as well as to define the sensor outputs such as speed, climbing angle and rate of climbing angle in order to perceive the different types of pipe environment and vehicle actions. Since the navigation problem involves a multivariable input-output (MIMO) system, a cascaded hierarchical fuzzy model configuration is used to reduce the dimensionality of the fuzzy model. The fuzzy navigation controller is thus an interlink fuzzy subsystem of the pipe environment recognition and action adjustment subsystems. Results of simulations and laboratory experiments are presented to demonstrate the ability of the control strategy. A brief description of the mobile robotic system used is presented as background.