Wireless Network Performance Evaluation for Networked Robots

Overview & Synopsis

—The integration of the wireless network into the control loop of Networked Control Systems NCSs, given the stochastic behavior of wireless communication, can degrade the system performance i.e, its Quality of Control (QoC). It is necessary to study the implications of the communication constraints because control systems need a perfect communication medium. The performance of wireless network and its Quality of Service (QoS) must thus be analyzed in order to guarantee a good QoC. The present paper proposes an analysis of QoS performance metrics for networked systems (networked robots) using an analytic model based on Markov chain theory. The Markov model describes the IEEE 802.11 Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) for periodic round trip traffic of Wireless Networked Control System (WNCS).