A framework for the control of nonholonomic mobile manipulators

We propose a general framework for the feedback control of nonholonomic mobile manipulators. The control laws derived with this approach allow to simultaneously execute a manipulation task and monitor the situation (position and orientation) of the nonholonomic platform on which the manipulator is mounted. The active monitoring of the platform's situation significantly augments the manipulation capabilities of the system. For instance, the manipulation objective is still achievable when it compels the platform to move backward or perform manoeuvres. This monitoring is also instrumental for the avoidance of the manipulator's joint limits.