Finite-time sliding surface constrained control for a robot manipulator with an unknown deadzone and disturbance

Prescribed time control of position and force tracking for dualarm robots with output error constraints

This paper studies the practical prescribed-time control problem for dual-arm robots handling an object with output constraints. Firstly, by utilizing the property that the sum of internal forces in the grasping space is zero, the system model is obtained and decomposed into the contact force model and free motion model, which are orthogonal to each other. Furthermore, by combining the performance function and constraint function, the original system tracking error is transformed to a new one, whose boundedness can ensure that the original system variable converges to the predetermined range within the specified time. Then, a comprehensive neuroadaptive controller including position control term and contact control force control term is designed. Finally, the simulation results of two planar three link robots working together on a common object verify the effectiveness and superiority.

Compound FAT-based prespecified performance learning control of robotic manipulators with actuator dynamics

In the framework of the backstepping algorithm, this article proposes a new function approximation technique (FAT)-based compound learning control law for electrically-driven robotic manipulators with output constraint. The Fourier series expansion is adopted in the learning-based design to approximate unknown terms in the system description. The accuracy of FAT approximation is also studied by defining an identification error, which is derived from a serial-parallel identifier. Furthermore, the output constraint is taken into account by integrating the error transformation, the performance function and the dynamic surface control in a compact framework. Following this idea, new compound adaptation laws are then constructed. The proposed compound learning controller confirms that all the signals of the overall system are uniformly ultimately bounded, ensuring the tracking error within the predefined bounds during operation. Different simulation scenarios applied to a robotic manipulator with motor dynamics illustrate the capability of the control algorithm.

Adaptive sliding-mode trajectory tracking control for state constraint master-slave manipulator systems

This study aims to propose an adaptive state-dependent gain finite-time convergent controller (using the fundamentals of the sliding mode theory) that solves the trajectory tracking for a class of state constraint master-slave robotic system (M-SRS) formed by two manipulators with the same number of articulations. The control design considers the effect of state constraints by implementing a state dependent adaptive gain. A Lyapunov-stability analysis leads to design the gain variation laws yielding proving the finite-time convergence of the sliding surface as well as the asymptotic convergence of the tracking error. The state constraints of the slave system motivate the characterization of the convergence-time as a function of the bounded uncertainties affecting the M-SRS dynamics. The forward-complete setting of the M-SRS justified the application of a robust and exact differentiator which estimated the articulation velocities for the slave robot. The estimated velocities are used as part of the realization of the output feedback controller. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed control scheme provides a smaller quadratic norm of the tracking error compared with the obtained with other controllers (proportional-derivative and conventional sliding modes). The proposed control approach satisfies the state constraints while the sliding manifold converges to the origin in finite-time as justified by the theoretical stability analysis.

Fixed-time consensus control for multi-agent systems with prescribed performance under matched and mismatched disturbances

The consensus problem is considered for multi-agent systems with disturbances. Three fixed-time prescribed performance methods are proposed to satisfy the transient performance and steady-state performance of multi-agent systems consensus. If the multi-agent systems are affected by matched disturbances, the consensus tracking errors constraints are guaranteed at first. Next, the consensus tracking errors constraints and their change rates constraints are further considered. Moreover, with the help of a fixed-time observer, the consensus tracking errors constraints result is expended to the case of multi-agent systems affected by mismatched disturbances. The proposed methods can provide the satisfactory system performances, including that consensus tracking errors always evolve within predefined bounds, converge to a small closed region containing zero in fixed time and then converge to zero asymptotically. Simulations are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

A global time-varying sliding-mode control for the tracking problem of uncertain dynamical systems

In this paper, a global time-varying sliding-mode control scheme with prespecified convergence time is proposed for the tracking problem of a class of uncertain nonlinear systems under parameters uncertainties and external disturbances. Firstly, a novel time-varying sliding manifold with appropriate coefficients is presented. These coefficients are tuned to eliminate the reaching phase and to drive the system states to the equilibrium in a specified time. Hence, the system states are constrained to the sliding surface from the beginning of the motion which enables the global robustness, the reduction of the initial control effort, and the meet of the convergence time requirement. Moreover, in order to address the more practical case that the upper bound of the system uncertainties and disturbances is unavailable, an adaptive time-varying sliding mode control algorithm is derived, by which the tracking error vanish as time tends to infinity. The stability of the system has been proved by the Lyapunov stability theorem, and simulation studies are conducted to show the effectiveness of the suggested control schemes.

Underactuated AUV Nonlinear Finite-Time Tracking Control Based on Command Filter and Disturbance Observer

The three-dimensional (3D) path following problem of an underactuated autonomous underwater vehicle with ocean currents disturbances is addressed in this paper. Firstly, the motion equation under the ocean currents disturbance is established, and the dynamic model of 3D tracking error is constructed based on virtual guidance method. Then, a finite-time control scheme based on super-twisting observer and command filtered backstepping technology is proposed. We adopt super-twisting observer based on finite-time theory to observe the ocean currents disturbances for improving the system robust. A command filtered backstepping is proposed to replace the differential process in the conventional backstepping method for avoiding the differential expansion problem. The filter compensation loop is designed to ensure the accuracy of the filtered signal, and the anti-integration saturation link is designed considering the influence of integral saturation. Lyapunov stability theory is used to prove the stability of the underactuated AUV. Simulation studies are conducted to show the effectiveness and robustness of the controller.

Fixed-time output feedback trajectory tracking control of marine surface vessels subject to unknown external disturbances and uncertainties

This paper proposes a novel fixed-time output feedback control scheme for trajectory tracking of marine surface vessels (MSVs) subject to unknown external disturbances and uncertainties. A fixed-time extended state observer (FESO) is proposed to estimate unknown lumped disturbances and unmeasured velocities, and the observation errors will converge to zero in fixed time. Based on the estimated values, a novel fixed-time trajectory tracking controller is designed for an MSV to track a time-varying reference trajectory by the extension of an adding a power integrator (API), and the tracking errors can converge to zero in fixed time as well. Additionally, the convergence time of the controller and the FESO is independent of initial state values. Finally, simulation results and comparisons illustrate the superiority of the proposed control scheme.

Adaptive second-order fast nonsingular terminal sliding mode control for robotic manipulators

This paper presents an adaptive chattering-free sliding mode controller for trajectory tracking of robotic manipulators in the presence of external disturbances and inertia uncertainties. To achieve fast convergence and desirable tracking precision, a second-order fast nonsingular terminal sliding mode (SOFNTSM) controller is designed to guarantee system performance and robust stability. Chattering is eliminated using continuous control law due to high-frequency switching terms contained in the first derivative of actual control signals. Meanwhile, uncertainties are compensated by introducing the adaptive technique, whose prior knowledge about upper bound is not required. Finally, simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.

Research on trajectory tracking control of manipulator based on modified terminal sliding mode with double power reaching law

This article proposes a control strategy that combines the double power reaching law with the modified terminal sliding mode for tracking tasks of rigid robotic manipulators quickly and accurately. As a significant novelty, double power reaching law can reach the sliding surface in finite time when the system is in any initial state. At the same time, modified terminal sliding surface guarantees the system that position and velocity error converge to be zero approximately. In other words, the control law is able to make the system slip to the equilibrium point in a finite time and improves the speed of the system approaching and sliding modes. The simulation results demonstrate the practical implementation of the control strategy, verify its robustness of more accurate tracking and faster disturbance rejection, and weaken the chattering phenomenon more effectively compared with the conventional terminal sliding mode controller.

Trajectory Tracking Control of a Hydraulic System Using TSMCSPO based on Sliding Perturbation Observer

This paper proposes a new designed trajectory tracking method for a hydraulic manipulator, which is the terminal sliding mode control with sliding perturbation observer (TSMCSPO). The dynamics of the hydraulic system are complex and uncertain, it also generates a large reaction force when working as an excavator or a dismantling robot. In this paper, the new control law is designed to force the trajectory of the hydraulic system to follow the reference despite complex dynamics, modeling error, the huge reaction force, and dynamic uncertainties. The sliding perturbation observer (SPO) in TSMCSPO estimates all disturbances from the outside environment, dynamic uncertainties, and modeling errors in real time. We included a simulation and an experiment to verify the approach, and to demonstrate the performance compared with other controllers (SMCSPO, SMC, and TSMC). Stabilities of SPO and TSMCSPO were analyzed based on the Lyapunov stability theory.

Anti-disturbance dynamic surface control scheme for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with asymmetric dead-zone nonlinearity

This study proposes anti-disturbance dynamic surface control scheme for nonlinear strict-feedback systems subjected simultaneously to unknown asymmetric dead-zone nonlinearity, unmatched external disturbance and uncertain nonlinear dynamics. Radial basis function-neural network (RBF-NN) is invoked to approximate the uncertain dynamics of the system, and the dead-zone nonlinearity is represented as a time-varying system with a bounded disturbance. The nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO) is proposed to estimate the unmatched external disturbance which further will be used to compensate the effect of the disturbance. Then, by integrating RBF-NN, NDO and dynamic surface control (DSC) approaches, the proposed anti-disturbance control scheme is designed. Stability analysis of the closed-loop system shows that all signals of the closed-loop system are semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded and the tracking error can be made arbitrarily small by proper selection of the design parameters. In comparison with the existing methods, the proposed scheme deals with the unmatched external disturbance, uncertain dynamics and unknown asymmetric dead-zone nonlinearity, simultaneously; it avoids the "explosion of complexity" problem and develops the simple control law without singularity concern. Furthermore, some imposed assumptions to the dead-zone input and disturbances are relaxed. Simulation and comparison results verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Human-robot cooperation for robust surface treatment using non-conventional sliding mode control

This work presents a human-robot closely collaborative solution to cooperatively perform surface treatment tasks such as polishing, grinding, deburring, etc. The method considers two force sensors attached to the manipulator end-effector and tool: one sensor is used to properly accomplish the surface treatment task, while the second one is used by the operator to guide the robot tool. The proposed scheme is based on task priority and adaptive non-conventional sliding mode control. The applicability of the proposed approach is substantiated by experimental results using a redundant 7R manipulator: the Sawyer cobot.

Adaptive nonsingular fast terminal sliding-mode control for the tracking problem of uncertain dynamical systems

In this paper, robust and adaptive nonsingular fast terminal sliding-mode (NFTSM) control schemes for the trajectory tracking problem are proposed with known or unknown upper bound of the system uncertainty and external disturbances. The developed controllers take the advantage of the NFTSM theory to ensure fast convergence rate, singularity avoidance, and robustness against uncertainties and external disturbances. First, a robust NFTSM controller is proposed which guarantees that sliding surface and equilibrium point can be reached in a short finite-time from any initial state. Then, in order to cope with the unknown upper bound of the system uncertainty which may be occurring in practical applications, a new adaptive NFTSM algorithm is developed. One feature of the proposed control law is their adaptation techniques where the prior knowledge of parameters uncertainty and disturbances is not needed. However, the adaptive tuning law can estimate the upper bound of these uncertainties using only position and velocity measurements. Moreover, the proposed controller eliminates the chattering effect without losing the robustness property and the precision. Stability analysis is performed using the Lyapunov stability theory, and simulation studies are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the developed control schemes.

Velocity-free attitude coordinated tracking control for spacecraft formation flying

This article investigates the velocity-free attitude coordinated tracking control scheme for a group of spacecraft with the assumption that the angular velocities of the formation members are not available in control feedback. Initially, an angular velocity observer is constructed based on each individual's attitude quarternion. Then, the distributed attitude coordinated control law is designed by using the observed states, in which adaptive control method is adopted to handle the external disturbances. Stability of the overall closed-loop system is analyzed theoretically, which shows the system trajectory converges to a small set around origin with fast convergence rate. Numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate fast convergence and improved tracking performance of the proposed control strategy.

Robust adaptive precision motion control of hydraulic actuators with valve dead-zone compensation

This paper addresses the high performance motion control of hydraulic actuators with parametric uncertainties, unmodeled disturbances and unknown valve dead-zone. By constructing a smooth dead-zone inverse, a robust adaptive controller is proposed via backstepping method, in which adaptive law is synthesized to deal with parametric uncertainties and a continuous nonlinear robust control law to suppress unmodeled disturbances. Since the unknown dead-zone parameters can be estimated by adaptive law and then the effect of dead-zone can be compensated effectively via inverse operation, improved tracking performance can be expected. In addition, the disturbance upper bounds can also be updated online by adaptive laws, which increases the controller operability in practice. The Lyapunov based stability analysis shows that excellent asymptotic output tracking with zero steady-state error can be achieved by the developed controller even in the presence of unmodeled disturbance and unknown valve dead-zone. Finally, the proposed control strategy is experimentally tested on a servovalve controlled hydraulic actuation system subjected to an artificial valve dead-zone. Comparative experimental results are obtained to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.