Model-based detection and isolation of the wheel slippage and actuator faults of a holonomic mobile robot

Purpose Mobile robots may perform very critical tasks under difficult operating conditions. Faults encountered during their tasks may cause the task to be interrupted or failed completely. In the active fault tolerant control methods, it is very important not only to detect the faults that occur in the robot, but also to isolate these faults to develop a fault recovery strategy that is suitable for that specific type of fault. This study aims to develop a model-based fault detection and isolation method for wheel slippage and motor performance degradation that may occur in wheeled mobile robots. Design/methodology/approach In the proposed method, wheel speeds can be estimated via the dynamic model of the mobile robot, which includes a friction model between the wheel and the ground. Four residual signals are obtained from the differences between the estimated states and the measured states of the mobile robot. Mobile robot’s faults are detected by using these signals. Also, two different residual signals are generated from the calculation of the traction forces with two different procedures. These six residual signals are then used to isolate possible wheel slippage and performance degradation in a motor. Findings The proposed method for diagnosing wheel slip and performance degradation in motors are tested by moving the robot in various directions. According to the data obtained from the test results, a logic table is created to isolate these two faults from each other. Thanks to the created logic table, slippage in any wheel and performance degradation in any motor can be detected and isolated. Originality/value Two different recovery strategies are needed to recover temporary wheel slippage and permanent motor faults. Therefore, it is important to isolate these two faults that create similar symptoms in robot’s general movement. Thanks to the method proposed in this study, it is not only possible to isolate the slipping wheel with respect to the non-slipping wheels or to isolate the faulty motor from the non-faulty ones, but also to isolate these two different fault types from each other.