Segmented Safety Docking Control for Mobile Self-Reconfigurable Robots

Mobile self-reconfigurable robots (MSRRs), as a novel multi-robot system with flexible configurations and task adaptability, hold promising applications in unstructured task environments. However, existing autonomous docking strategies are primarily applied in laboratory settings and face numerous challenges and limitations in actual applications, including differences in sensor characteristics, safety threats, and saturation constraints. To address these issues, this paper proposes a segmented secure docking control framework based on global localization and local perception to achieve stable and reliable reconfiguration of MSRRs in practical applications. Specific contributions include the implementation of a dual-layer constraint framework for safeness of units in the long-distance phase against velocity and acceleration nested windups, and the integration of active line-of-sight (LOS) correction and adaptive windup driving mobile units to achieve precise and rapid locking of docked positions within the LOS in the close-range phase. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is verified via physical experiments, offering an innovative approach to deploying MSRRs in complex scenarios.