Regular room inspections are crucial for the health and safety of elderly residents in nursing homes. To address the trajectory tracking problem of nursing robots, a hierarchical control framework is proposed. The upper layer combines an H∞ unscented Kalman filter (HUKF) with nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) to enhance state estimation and optimize the reference trajectory, while the lower layer uses a sliding mode controller for high-response actuation. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control scheme achieves excellent tracking accuracy and robustness, significantly reducing deviations caused by slippage, modeling errors, and disturbances. These results offer a solid foundation for the intelligent control of skid-steering nursing robots in complex environments.
References
[1] Lee, Y. S., Iizuka, T., Eggleston, K. (2025) Robots and labor in nursing homes. Labour Economics, 92, 102666.
[2] Shaw, R. J., Chen, B. (2025) Physical artificial intelligence in nursing: robotics. Nursing Outlook, 73, 102495.
[3] Gong, H., Yan, T., Xie, H., Gao, R., Zhan, Y., Xia, Y. (2025) Learning stabilizable symplectic ODE-net-based MPC for autonomous vehicle trajectory tracking. Neurocomputing, 131222.
[4] Wang, L., Chen, Z., Zhu, W. (2022) An improved pure pursuit path tracking control method based on heading error rate. Industrial Robot: The International Journal of Robotics Research and Application, 49(5), 973-980.
[5] Li, Y., Jiang, Y. Q., Wang, L. F., Cao, J., Zhang, G. C. (2015) Intelligent PID guidance control for AUV path tracking. Journal of Central South University, 22(9), 3440-3449.
[6] Luo, X., Zhu, M., Zhang, Y., Zheng, Z., Chen, T. (2024) Self-triggered fuzzy trajectory tracking control for the stratospheric airship. Advances in Space Research, 74(11), 5874-5889.
[7] Deng, Z., Cui, J., Zhu, Z., Dan, Y., Xie, H., Hu, Y. (2025) Adaptive trajectory tracking control of underactuated ships using parameter prediction based neural network. Ocean Engineering, 329, 121188.
[8] Hua, Y., Ji, Z., Wang, Y. (2025) Robust trajectory tracking control for multiple mobile robots. Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, 111, 79.
[9] Xu, W., Liu, N., Du, S., Zhou, H. (2025) Adaptive trajectory tracking control based on path evaluation model: W. Xu et al. International Journal of Intelligent Robotics and Applications, 9(4), 1692-1715.
[10] Li, W., Zhou, H. (2025) Constrained nonlinear MPC with rudder-roll stabilization for integrated path following and collision avoidance in underactuated surface vessels. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 13(3), 468.
[11] Rodriguez-Arellano, J. A., Miranda-Colorado, R., Aguilar, L. T., Negrete-Villanueva, M. A. (2023) Trajectory tracking nonlinear H∞ controller for wheeled mobile robots with disturbances observer. ISA Transactions, 142, 372-385.
[12] Zhao, G., Chen, Z., Liao, W. (2024) Reinforcement-tracking: an end-to-end trajectory tracking method based on self-attention mechanism. International Journal of Automotive Technology, 25(3), 541-551.
[13] Li, W., Yu, S., Lin, B., Chen, H. (2025) Nonlinear model predictive control of trajectory tracking for autonomous trucks with terminal ingredients. Nonlinear Dynamics, 113, 21383-21402.
[14] Lai, G., Zhuang, B., Ouyang, Y., Tang, J. (2026) EKF-based MPC scheme for image-based visual servoing of UAVs subject to multiple uncertain disturbances. Nonlinear Dynamics, 114(9), 691.
[15] Cheng, Z., Xie, W., Li, Z., Ye, Z., Tang, G. (2025) Trajectory tracking and collision avoidance for unmanned surface vehicle swarms via model predictive control. IFAC-Papers OnLine, 59(22), 555-560.
[16] Vu, T. M., Moezzi, R., Cyrus, J., Hlava, J. (2021) Model predictive control for autonomous driving vehicles. Electronics, 10(21), 2593.
[17] Feng, H., Jing, H., Zhang, X., Kuang, B., Song, Y., Wei, C., Qian, T. (2025) Research on the stability and trajectory tracking control of a compound steering platform based on hierarchical theory. Electronics, 14(14), 2836.
[18] García-Chávez, R. E., Silva-Ortigoza, R., Hernández-Guzmán, V. M., Marciano-Melchor, M., Orta-Quintana, Á. A., García-Sánchez, J. R., Taud, H. (2023) A robust sliding mode and PI-based tracking control for the MIMO “DC/DC buck converter-inverter-DC motor” system. IEEE Access, 11, 119396-119408.
[19] Yu, L. S., Su, X. J., Sun, S. X., Jiao, C. T. (2023) Lateral stability control of six-wheeled skid-steering robot based on hierarchical control strategy. Acta Automatica Sinica, 49(7), 1421-1432.
[20] Juman, M. A., Wong, Y. W., Rajkumar, R. K., Kow, K. W., Yap, Z. W. (2019) An incremental unsupervised learning based trajectory controller for a 4 wheeled skid steer mobile robot. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 85, 385-392.
Share and Cite
Wang, N., Li, D., Xu, X., Wang, D., Ma, Z., Wang, Z. (2026) Hierarchical Control-based Trajectory Tracking Control of Robots. Scientific Research Bulletin, 3(5), 36-46. https://doi.org/10.71052/srb2024/OXUO1580