Thesis
Design and development of Digital Twin system for four-wheeled robots
Masters by Coursework, Murdoch University
2025
Abstract
This dissertation presents the development of a Digital Twin (DT) framework for Wheeled Mobile Robots (WMRs), aimed at enabling synchronised control, monitoring, and validation across both physical and virtual environments. The project integrates a high-fidelity virtual model of a Wheeltec mobile robot using the Webots simulation platform and Robot Operating System (ROS) to replicate the kinematic and behavioural characteristics of its physical counterpart. The system enables bidirectional communication through ROS-based middleware, supports remote motion tracking, and facilitates real-time experimentation using Python controller scripts. Several control strategies—including PID, gain-scheduled PID, and backstepping—were implemented and evaluated using a sinusoidal reference trajectory to assess tracking accuracy and controller performance.
Key technologies employed throughout this work include Webots simulation for virtual modelling, ROS and ROS integration mechanisms for communication and data exchange, Python-based controller libraries for implementing and testing control logic, and secure remote access via SSH for robot interaction and deployment. The combination of these tools supports a robust and modular architecture that allows for hybrid experimentation, automated data collection, and cross-validation between simulated and real-world trials. The results demonstrate the practical viability of the proposed DT framework and lay the groundwork for future research in Digital Twin systems for mobile robots.
Details
- Title
- Design and development of Digital Twin system for four-wheeled robots
- Authors/Creators
- Narges Mohaghegh
- Contributors
- Hai Wang (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Water, Energy and Waste
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Masters by Coursework
- Identifiers
- 991005810050307891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Engineering and Energy
- Resource Type
- Thesis
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