Nonlinear modeling and control of a unicycle (Q1961284)

A unicycle system is composed of a unicycle and a rider. This system is inherently unstable, but together with a skilled rider can be autonomously controlled and stabilized. An autonomous unicycle model has already been constructed and studied in previous papers by Schoonwinkel and Vos. The objective of the present paper is to continue the study of the unicycle control. A three-rigid body physical model is selected for the dynamical study of the system. A nonlinear control law, which replaces the rider in stabilizing the model is derived; it uses a nonlinear unicycle model. A simulation study shows good performance of this controller. Time spectral element methods are developed and used for integrating the nonlinear equations of motion.