Engineering Line Following Robot

Investigate the Co-Simulation and DSE tools from the INTO-CPS project using LFR.

Motivations: I used to work in the INTO-CPS project and had experience in model-based design and test of several pilot studies, including line following robots. Co-Simulation was also used to test and verify models with heterogeneous modules being wrapped in individual FMUs. When I started to work in the RoboCalc project, a RoboStar project. Prof. Jim Woodcock and Prof. Ana Cavalcanti thought we should build a simple physical LFR robot (but faster) and demonstrate INTO-CPS’s technologies. Most importantly, it could be as a case study for formal verification, such as theorem proving to ensure the control algorithm of LFR can cope with sharp bends when it is running very fast. It was a pity that later on we haven’t moved forward to formal verification (because I turned to investigate the probabilistic aspect of RoboChart).

[m3pi robot](https://www.pololu.com/product/2151)
m3pi robot
Mathematical model of LFR
Mathematical model of LFR
Physical model of a line following robot in OpenModelica
Physical model of a line following robot in OpenModelica
My controller code (C++)
I have borrowed some ideas from this paper “Optimization of PID Control for High Speed Line Tracking Robots”
  • LFR running on a route with sharp corners
  • LFR running on a map for simulation
  • LFR simulation on a map
  • DSE result

    Design space exploration results by using simulation
    Design space exploration results by using simulation

  • References:

Kangfeng (Randall) Ye
Kangfeng (Randall) Ye
Research Associate (Computer Science)

My research interests include probabilistic modelling and verification using formal specification and verification (both model checking and theorem proving) and model-based engineering.