One of the main topics in the field of robotics is the motion control of wheeled mobile robots. Motion control encompasses trajectory tracking and point stabilization problems. In this paper these control problems will be considered for the tractor-trailer wheeled robots and a predictive control algorithm is developed for solving these problems. Therefore first kinematic model of the tractor_trailer robot is developed. Next, reference trajectories is produced for the system. Subsequently, predictive control law is designed for the trajectory tracking and point stabilization problems. Predictive control based on the known values of reference trajectories in the future, produces the control inputs in present time. Consequently the error signal with respect to the reference trajectory in future will be used in order to control the system at the present instant of time. This method is developed for solving the aforementioned control problems and is employed on the tractor_trailer wheeled robot. As can be seen from the results, the proposed control algorithm steer the wheeled robot asymptotically follow reference trajectories. Obtained results from the implementation of the proposed method for solving trajectory tracking and point stabilization problems, demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented algorithm.

Keywords: Wheeled mobile robot, Nonholonomic systems, Trajectory tracking, Stabilization, Predictive control

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