AI-based Control Approaches for Multiple Mobile Robots  Project

 The project SEP-CONACYT-ANUIES-ECOS NORD 315597 (2021-2024):

 “Artificial Intelligence–based Control Approaches for Multiple Mobile Robots” 

is a bilateral research collaboration between the Tecnológico Nacional de México/I.T. La Laguna, Mx., and the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Fr. The project is focused on studying several tracking tasks for autonomous mobile robot systems, particularly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and wheeled mobile robots (WMR). This project aims to develop robust control and navigation schemes by combining the methods of artificial intelligence and control theory. The objective is to solve different collective tasks in autonomous mobile robot systems. The project also comprises students and researchers from the CNAM (Conservatoire national des arts et métiers), ESIME-IPN, CITEDI-IPN, and ITESM Guadalajara. 

This project tries to address an international and national scope problem in engineering. 

Publications

JCR Journals

1. J. Davila, M. Tranninger, L. Fridman. “Finite–Time State–Observer for a Class of Linear Time–Varying Systems with Unknown Inputs”.  IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control 67(6), 2022, pp. 3149–3156.  

2. L. A. Blas, J. Dávila, S. Salazar and M. Bonilla, “Robust Trajectory Tracking for an Uncertain UAV Based on Active Disturbance Rejection”.  IEEE Control Systems Letters 6, 2022,  pp. 1466–1471.

3. P. Rochel, H. Ríos, M. Mera and A. Dzul. “Trajectory Tracking for Uncertain Unicycle Mobile Robots: A Super-Twisting Approach”. Control Engineering Practice 122, 2022, 105078.   

4. R. Franco, H. Ríos and A. Ferreira de Loza. “Model Reference Adaptive Contro: A Finite–Time Approach”. International Journal of Adaptive Control and Signal Processing 36(5), 2022, pp. 1231–1247. 

5. R. Falcón, H. Ríos and A. Dzul. “A Robust Fault Diagnosis for Quad–Rotors: A Sliding–Mode Observer Approach”. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 27(6), 2022, pp. 4487–4496. 

6. R. Falcón, H. Ríos and A. Dzul. “A Sliding–Mode–based Active Fault–Tolerant Control for Robust Trajectory Tracking in Quad–Rotors under a Rotor Failure”. International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control 32(15), 2022, pp. 8451–8469.

7. H. Ríos, R. Franco, A. Ferreira de Loza and D. Efimov. “A High-Order Sliding-Mode Adaptive Observer for Uncertain Nonlinear Systems”. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control 68(1), 2023, pp. 408–415.

8. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos and M. Mera. “Integral Sliding–Mode–based Robust Output–Regulation for Constrained and Uncertain Linear Systems”. International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control 33(3), 2023, pp. 2205–2218. 

9. Y. Díaz, J. Dávila and M. Mera. “Leader–Follower Formation of Unicycle Mobile Robots Using Sliding Mode Control”. IEEE Control Systems Letters 7, 2023, pp. 883–888.

10. M. Mera and F.J. Bejarano. “Robust Hybrid Observer Design Based on Reconstructability Conditions for Piecewise Linear Systems”. International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control.  2022; 1–16. doi:10.1002/rnc.6326, pp. 1–15.

11. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos and M. Mera. “A Discontinuous Integral Action for Robust Output Tracking in Uncertain Linear Systems”. International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control 33(10), 2023, pp. 5819–5833.

12. Y. Zhou, H. Ríos, M. Mera, A. Polyakov, G. Zheng and A. Dzul. “Homogeneity–based Control Strategy for Trajectory Tracking in Perturbed Unicycle Mobile Robots”. IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology 32(1), 2024, pp. 274–281. 

13. H. Ríos, M. Mera and A. Polyakov. “Perturbed Unicycle Mobile Robots: A Second–Order Sliding–Mode Trajectory Tracking Control”. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics 71(3), 2024, pp. 2864–2872.

14. H. Ríos, R. Franco and A. Ferreira de Loza. “A Robust Finite–Time Model Reference Adaptive Controller for Arbitrary Order Disturbed LTI Systems”. ISA Transactions 144, 2024, pp. 319–329. 

15. H. Ríos, M. Mera, T. Raïssi and D. Efimov. “Robust Interval Predictive Tracking Control for Constrained and Perturbed Unicycle Mobile Robots”. International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control 34(9), 2024, pp. 6303–6320. 

16. H. Ríos, A. Ferreira de Loza, D. Efimov and R. Franco. “An LMI–based Robust Nonlinear Adaptive Observer for Disturbed Regression Models”. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control 69(6), 2024, pp. 4035–4041.

17. M. Li, H. Ríos, S. V. Gutiérrez–Martínez, A. Polyakov, G. Zheng and A. Dzul. “A Generalized Homogeneity–based Formation Control for Perturbed Unicycle Multi–Agent Systems”. Control Engineering Practice 152, 2024, 106047.

18. M. Mera and H. Ríos. “Semi–Global and Robust Finite–Time Regulation of the Heisenberg System”. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control 69(10), 2024, pp. 7152–7158.

19. M. Li, H. Ríos, A. Polyakov, G. Zheng and S. Wang. “Generalized Homogeneous Formation Control for Unicycle Multi–Agent Systems”. Guidance, Navigation and Control 4(4), 2024, 2450021.  

20. H. Ríos, M. Mera and A. Polyakov. “A Novel Second–Order Sliding–Mode Controller for Uncertain Double Integrator Dynamics”. Automatica 173, 2025, 112036. 

21. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos, and M. Mera. “A Robust Trajectory Tracking Control for Constrained and Perturbed Unicycle Mobile Robots”. Asian Journal of Control, DOI: 10.1002/asjc.3632, 2025. 

22. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos, M. Mera, D. Efimov, and R. Ushirobira. “Robust Sampled–Time Control for a Class of Constrained Nonlinear Systems: An Interval Predictor–based MPC Approach”. European Journal of Control 84, 101230, 2025. 

Book Chapters

23. R. Falcón, H. Ríos and A. Dzul. “Sliding–Mode–based Fault Diagnosis and Fault–Tolerant Control for Quad–Rotors”. Sliding–Mode Control and Variable–Structure Systems. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, Springer, Cham, Vol. 490, 2023, pp. 503–539.

24. H. Ríos. “On Finite– and Fixed–Time State Estimation for Uncertain Linear Systems”. Sliding–Mode Control and Variable–Structure Systems. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, Springer, Cham, Vol. 490, 2023, pp. 97–131.

25. H. Ríos, T. Raïssi, and D. Efimov. “Sliding–Mode–based Robust Interval Predictive Control for a Class of Uncertain and Constrained Systems”. Set–Valued Approaches to Control and Estimation of Uncertain Systems: Theory and Applications. Mathematical Engineering, Springer Cham, 2024.

26. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos, M. Mera, and D. Efimov. “Robust Control for Constrained Nonlinear Systems: An Interval–Predictor Approach”. Nonlinear and Constrained Control – Applications, Synergies, Challenges and Opportunities. Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences, Springer Cham, 2024. 

International Conferences

27. R. Falcón, H. Ríos and A. Dzul. “An Actuator Fault Accommodation Sliding–Mode Control Approach for Trajectory Tracking in Quad–Rotors”. In the 60th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Austin, Texas, USA, 2021, pp. 7100–7105.

28. D. Efimov, A. Polyakov, K. Zimenko and J. Wang. “An exact robust hyperexponential differentiator”. In the IEEE 61st Conference on Decision and Control, Cancún, Mexico, 2022, pp. 1894–1899.

29. A. Gutiérrez, M. Mera and H. Ríos. “An Integral Sliding–Mode Robust Regulation for Constrained and Uncertain Three–Wheeled Omnidirectional Mobile Robots”. In the 61st IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Cancún, Mexico, 2022, pp. 3637–3642.

30. H. Ríos, M. Mera and A. Polyakov. “A New Finite–Time Sliding–Mode Controller for a Class of Second–Order Non–Linear Systems”. In the 22nd World Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control, Yokohama, Japan, 2023, pp. 49–53. 

31. Y. Zhou, H. Ríos, M. Mera, A. Polyakov, G. Zheng and A. Dzul. “Trajectory Tracking in Unicycle Mobile Robots: A Homogeneity–based Control Approach”. In the 22nd World Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control, Yokohama, Japan, 2023, pp. 54–59. 

32. D. Efimov, A. Polyakov, K. Zimenko and J. Wang. “On Hyperexponential Stabilization of Double Integrator in Continuous and Discrete Time”. In the 22nd World Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control, Yokohama, Japan, 2023, pp. 6417–6422. 

33. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos, M. Mera, D. Efimov, R. Ushurobira and A. Polyakov. “An Interval Predictor–based Robust Control for a Class of Constrained Nonlinear Systems”. In the 62nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 2023, pp. 1736–1741. 

34. S. V. Gutiérrez–Martínez , H. Ríos, T. Raïssi and D. Efimov. “A Robust Interval MPC for Uncertain Systems via Integral Sliding–Mode Control”. In the 62nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 2023, pp. 7893–7898. 

35. H. Ríos, M. Mera, T. Raïssi and D. Efimov. “An Integral Sliding–Mode–based Robust Interval Predictive Control for Perturbed Unicycle Mobile Robots”. In the 62nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 2023, pp. 6972–6977. 

36. M. Mera and H. Ríos. “A Simple Bounded Controller for the Finite–Time Stabilization of the Heisenberg System”. In the 62nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 2023, pp. 1649–1653.

37. I. Salgado, M. Mera, H. Ríos and M. Ballesteros. “Constrained Neuro–Identifier for Controlling the Unicycle Mobile Robot via Integral Sliding–Mode Control”. In the 2023 IEEE Symposium Series on Computational Intelligence, Mexico City, Mexico, 2023, pp. 1280–1285. 

38. L. Añorve, M. Mera, H. Ríos, M. Ballesteros and I. Salgado. “Time–Varying Tracking Control of a Unicycle Mobile Robot: A Composite Lyapunov Function Approach”. In the 11th International Conference on Control, Mechatronics and Automation, Grimstad, Norway, 2023, pp. 152–157. 

39. M. Mera, H. Ríos, and D. Efimov. “An Evader Controller for the Pursuit–Evasion Problem involving Single Integrator Dynamics”. In the IEEE 63rd Conference on Decision and Control 2024, Milan, Italy, 2024, pp. 2869–2874.

40. H. Ríos, D. Efimov, and R. Ushirobira. “Constant Parameter Identification: An Accelerated Heavy–Ball–based Approach”. In the IEEE 63rd Conference on Decision and Control 2024, Milan, Italy, 2024, pp. 3452–3456.

41. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos, M. Mera, D. Efimov and R. Ushirobira. “An Event–Triggered Robust Control for Unicycle Mobile Robots with Communication, State, and Input Constraints”. In the IEEE 63rd Conference on Decision and Control 2024, Milan, Italy, 2024, pp. 5819–5824.

National Conferences

42. R. Falcón, H. Ríos and A. Dzul. “Active Fault Tolerant Control for a Quad-Rotor in case of a Rotor Failure”. In the XXIII Robotics Mexican Congress, Tijuana, Baja California, México, 2021, pp. 75-80.

43. A. Gutiérrez, M. Mera and H. Ríos. “Robust Output Regulation for a Constrained Omnidirectional Mobile Robot”. In the 2022 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Chiapas, México, pp. 94–99.

44. M. Mera, H. Ríos and A. Polyakov. “A Novel Finite–Time Controller for the Tracking Problem on the Heisenberg System”. In the 2022 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Chiapas, México, pp. 166–171.

45. R. Falcón, H. Ríos, D. Efimov and A. Dzul. “A Robust Control Strategy for Target Tracking using a Quad–Rotor”. In the 2022 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Chiapas, México, pp. 190–195.

46. R. Franco, H. Ríos, A. Ferreira de Loza and D. Efimov. “Adaptive Observer for Regression Models with External Time–Dependent Disturbances”. In the 2022 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Chiapas, México, pp. 356–361.

47. R. Franco, H. Ríos and A. Ferreira de Loza. “A New Adaptive Controller for Linear Systems: A Model Reference Approach”. In the 2022 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Chiapas, México, pp. 124–128.

48. S. V. Gutiérrez–Martínez, H. Ríos, T. Raïssi and D. Efimov. “An Integral Sliding–Mode–based Interval Predictive Control for Constrained LPV Systems”. In the 2023 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Acapulco, Guerrero, México, pp. 103–108.

49. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos, M. Mera, D. Efimov and R. Ushurobira. “A Sampled–time Controller for a Class of Constrained Nonlinear Systems via Interval Prediction”. In the 2023 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Acapulco, Guerrero, México, pp. 217–222.

50. J.C. Rodríguez–Cervantes, A. Dzul and H. Ríos. “Formation Control Design for Multi–Quad–Rotors with Experimental Validation”. In the 2023 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Acapulco, Guerrero, México, pp. 443–448.

51. L. Añorve, I. Salgado, M. Mera, H. Ríos and D. Cruz. “Robust Control Design for the Unicycle Mobile Robot based on Composite Lyapunov Functions”. In the 2023 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Acapulco, Guerrero, México, pp. 455–460.

52. M. Mera and H. Ríos. “Finite–Time Controller for a Class of Nonholonomic System: The Heisenberg System”. In the 2023 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Acapulco, Guerrero, México, pp. 551–555.

53. H. Ríos, M. Mera, T. Raïssi and D. Efimov. “A Robust Interval Predictive Control for Perturbed Unicycle Mobile Robots”. In the 2023 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Acapulco, Guerrero, México, pp. 574–579.

54. I. Salgado, M. Mera, M. Ballesteros and H. Ríos. “Neuro–Integral Sliding Mode Control for the Perturbed Unicycle Mobile Robot”. In the 2023 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Acapulco, Guerrero, México, pp. 604–608.

55. J.C. Rodríguez–Cervantes, A. Dzul and H. Ríos. “Diseño de Control de Formación basado en Modos Deslizantes para un Grupo de Quad–Rotors”. In the XXV Congreso Mexicano de Robótica, Xalapa, México, 2023.

56. M. Mera, H. Ríos, and D. Efimov. “A Controller Design for Evaders Considering Single Integrator Dynamics”. In the 2024 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Ciudad de México, México, pp. 1–6.

57. H. Ríos, D. Efimov, and R. Ushirobira. “An Accelerated Parameter Identification Algorithm for Linear Regression Systems”. In the 2024 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Ciudad de México, México, pp. 439–444.

58. A. Gutiérrez, H. Ríos, M. Mera, D. Efimov and R. Ushirobira. “Sampled Robust Control for Trajectory Tracking in Constrained Unicycle Mobile Robots”. In the 2024 Congreso Nacional de Control Automático, Ciudad de México, México, pp. 463–468.

59. M. Mera and H. Ríos. “Diseño de un Controlador en Tiempo–Finito para Regulación en Robots Móviles No–Holónomos”. In the XXVI Congreso Mexicano de Robótica, Torreón, México, 2024, pp. 14–19.

60. S. Encina, A. Dzul, P. Castillo, and H. Ríos. “Estimación de la Posición para el Seguimiento de un Robot Móvil con Ruedas”. In the XXVI Congreso Mexicano de Robótica, Torreón, México, 2024, pp. 145–151.

PhD Thesis

1. Franco Jaramillo J. Roberto. “Adaptive Control for Uncertain Nonlinear Systems: A Sliding–Mode Approach”. Tecnológico Nacional de México/I.T. La Laguna (SNII Profile). México. March, 2023. Supervisor: Dr. Héctor Ríos Barajas. Co–Supervisor: Dra. Alejandra Ferreira de Loza.

2. Falcón Prado Romeo. “Diagnosis and Fault–Tolerant Control for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles”. Tecnológico Nacional de México/I.T. La Laguna  (Graduate with summa cum laude – SNII Profile – AMBRob Thesis 2022 Award). México. August, 2022. Supervisor: Dr. Héctor Ríos Barajas. Co–Supervisor: Dr. Alejandro E. Dzul López.

3. Gutiérrez Ortega Ariana. “New Strategies of Robust Control for Dynamical Systems with Input and State Constraints”. Tecnológico Nacional de México/I.T. La Laguna (Degree with summa cum laude – SNII Profile). México. August, 2024. Supervisor: Dr. Héctor Ríos Barajas. Co–Supervisor: Dr. Manuel Mera Hernández. 

4. Zhou Yu. “Homogeneous Control of Dynamical Systems with Quantization”. Centrale Lille Institute.  France. Decemeber, 2024. Supervisor: Dr. Andrey Polyakov. Co–Supervisor: Dr. Gang Zheng.

Courses

1. “Introduction to Deep Learning and Neural Networks”. Speaker: Dr. Gilberto Ochoa Ruiz.

Research Seminars

1. Andrey Polyakov. “On Energetically Optimal Homogeneous Finite–Time Control”. Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreón, Coahuila, México, 10th November 2021.

2. Manuel Mera. “Structural Observability and Robust Observer Design for Switched Systems”. Inria Lille–Nord Europe center, Lille, France, 21st April 2022.

3. Héctor Ríos. “A Robust Control Strategy for Trajectory Tracking in Quad-Rotors”. Inria Lille–Nord Europe center, Lille, France, 08th June 2022.

4. Tarek Raïssi. “Some Recent Results on Set–Membership Estimation of Dynamical Systems”. Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreón, Coahuila, México, 26th October 2022.

5. Héctor Ríos. “An Integral Sliding--Mode--based Robust Interval Predictive Control for Perturbed Unicycle Mobile Robots”. Inria Lille–Nord Europe center, Lille, France, 15th September 2023.

6. Denis Efimov. “Accelerated Control and Estimation for Cyber–Physical Systems”. Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreón, Coahuila, México, 15th November 2023.

7. Manuel Mera. “Global Finite–Time regulation of the Heisenberg System”. Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreón, Coahuila, México, 15th November 2023.

8. Héctor Ríos. “Constant Parameter Identification: An Accelerated Heavy–Ball–based Approach”. Inria Lille–Nord Europe center, Lille, France, 26th September 2024.

9. Manuel Mera. “An Evader Controller for the Pursuit–Evasion Problem involving Single Integrator Dynamics ”. Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreón, Coahuila, México, 26th September 2024.

10. Denis Efimov. “Discretizations of homogeneous stable systems”. Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreón, Coahuila, México, 25th November 2024.

11. Rosane Ushirobira. “A physics–informed neural network method to approximate homogeneous Lyapunov functions”. Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreón, Coahuila, México, 28th November 2024.

Research Stays

Researchers

1. Andrey Polyakov, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. November 2021 (15 days)

2. Manuel Mera, at the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Lille, France.  April 2022 (15 days)

3. Tarek Raïssi, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. November 2022 (10 days)

4. Héctor Ríos, at the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Lille, France. June 2022 (15 days)

5. Héctor Ríos, at the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Lille, France. Septemeber 2023 (15 days)

6. Denis Efimov, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. November 2023 (15 days)

7. Héctor Ríos, at the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Lille, France. Septemeber 2024 (15 days)

8. Denis Efimov, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. November 2024 (10 days)

9. Rosane Ushirobira, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. November 2024 (10 days)

Students

1. Yu Zhou, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico.  November-December 2021 (28 days)

2. Romeo Falcón, at the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Lille, France. November-December 2021 (35 days)

3. Min Li, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico.  November-December 2022 (28 days)

4. Ariana Gutiérrez, at the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Lille, France. May-June 2022 (45 days)

5. Ariana Gutiérrez, at the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Lille, France. September-October 2023 (45 days)

6. Danilo Rodrigues de Lima, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico.  April-May 2023 (35 days)

7. Méricel Ayamou, at the Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico.  November-December 2024 (28 days)

8. Servando Encina, at the Inria Lille-Nord Europe, Lille, Francia. May-June 2025 (30 days)

In spite of all the mentioned applications, there are still many open problems related to the design of robust navigation schemes and vision algorithms implementation that are able to realize the corresponding tasks in a safe and efficient way; under the presence of uncertainties in the mathematical models, lack of measurement accuracy and external disturbances such as wind gusts, irregular surfaces or obstacles. In addition to this, it is very important that the tasks are realized in an autonomous way and that the AMoRS are capable of dealing with the above-mentioned problems without the need for re-configurations and human intervention, i.e., requirements of vision algorithms based on AI.

Moreover, it is important to highlight that most of the mentioned AMoRS applications may be essentially seen, in the control theory framework, as robust trajectory planning, consensus, formation and obstacle avoidance problems for single or multiple vehicles, i.e., multi-agents or multi AMoRS. Nevertheless, the solution to these problems is not straightforward and a lot of research effort must be made in both areas, control theory and AI-based algorithms.