Unified Modulation Matrix-Based Shared Control for Teleoperated Multi-Robot Formation and Obstacle Avoidance

Multi-omnidirectional mobile robot formations offer significant advantages for applications in unstructured environments. However, under constraints such as limited field of view and high operator cognitive load, existing teleoperation frameworks struggle to guarantee formation safety and stability. In this study, a bilateral shared control framework for multi-robot formation that integrates intent perception and vortex-field modulation is proposed. First, an Intent-Mediated Asymmetric Vortex Modulation (IM-AVM) strategy is developed, where the operator's micro-intentions are mapped to determine the topological orientation of a vortex field. By constructing a dynamic asymmetric modulation matrix, saddle points in the potential field are geometrically eliminated, enabling deadlock-free obstacle avoidance while maintaining a rigid formation. Second, a multi-dimensional perception-based dynamic authority arbitration and topological deadlock escape mechanism is constructed, facilitating a seamless transition from assisted deadlock to autonomous escape. Finally, a formation coordination system based on anisotropic flow field modulation and adaptive sliding mode control is designed. Rigid formation constraints are transformed into a tangential safe flow field, and robust tracking is subsequently achieved through an Adaptive Nonsingular Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Controller (ANFTSMC). Theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves collision-free navigation for the formation in simulated environments.

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Publication Details

Journal
Sensors
Published
2026-04-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/s26082387
Primary Topic
Distributed Control Multi-Agent Systems
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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Unified Modulation Matrix-Based Shared Control for Teleoperated Multi-Robot Formation and Obstacle Avoidance

Jie Li, Zhuoyue Zhang, Zheng Zhang, Haochen Zhang et al.
Sensors
Distributed Control Multi-Agent Systems
article

Unified Modulation Matrix-Based Shared Control for Teleoperated Multi-Robot Formation and Obstacle Avoidance

Jie Li, Zhuoyue Zhang, Zheng Zhang, Haochen Zhang, Ruidong Chen
article en

Abstract

Multi-omnidirectional mobile robot formations offer significant advantages for applications in unstructured environments. However, under constraints such as limited field of view and high operator cognitive load, existing teleoperation frameworks struggle to guarantee formation safety and stability. In this study, a bilateral shared control framework for multi-robot formation that integrates intent perception and vortex-field modulation is proposed. First, an Intent-Mediated Asymmetric Vortex Modulation (IM-AVM) strategy is developed, where the operator's micro-intentions are mapped to determine the topological orientation of a vortex field. By constructing a dynamic asymmetric modulation matrix, saddle points in the potential field are geometrically eliminated, enabling deadlock-free obstacle avoidance while maintaining a rigid formation. Second, a multi-dimensional perception-based dynamic authority arbitration and topological deadlock escape mechanism is constructed, facilitating a seamless transition from assisted deadlock to autonomous escape. Finally, a formation coordination system based on anisotropic flow field modulation and adaptive sliding mode control is designed. Rigid formation constraints are transformed into a tangential safe flow field, and robust tracking is subsequently achieved through an Adaptive Nonsingular Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Controller (ANFTSMC). Theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves collision-free navigation for the formation in simulated environments.

SensorsVol. 26(8)
Lanzhou University of Technology (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 23%
Distributed Control Multi-Agent Systems
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