An Adaptive Controller Dominant-Type Hybrid Adaptive and Learning Controller for Trajectory Tracking of Robot Manipulators

This paper proposes a new hybrid adaptive and learning control method based on combining model-based adaptive control, repetitive learning control (RLC) and proportional–derivative control to consider the periodic trajectory tracking problem of robot manipulators. The aim of this study is to obtain a high-accuracy trajectory tracking controller by developing a simpler adaptive dominant-type hybrid controller by using only one vector for estimation of the unknown dynamical parameters in the control law. The RLC input is adopted using the original learning control law, adding a forgetting factor to achieve the convergence of the learning control input to zero. We will improve and prove that the adaptive dominant-type controller could be applied for tracking a periodic desired trajectory in which adaptive control input increases and becomes dominant of the control input, whereas the other control inputs decrease close to zero. The domination of the adaptive control input gives the advantage that the proposed controller could adjust the feed-forward control input immediately and it does not spend much time relearning the learning control input when the periodic desired trajectory is switched over from the first trajectory to another trajectory. We utilize the Lyapunovlike method to prove the stability of the proposed controller and computer simulation results to validate the effectiveness of the proposed controller in achieving the accurate tracking to the periodic desired trajectory.     

Adaptive controller for non-holonomic mobile robots with matched uncertainties

This paper deals with the backstepping approach for the design of adaptive discontinuous time-invariant controllers for the point-stabilization of mobile robots with matched uncertainties. First of all, we derive a control law in the disturbance-free case guaranteeing exponential convergence for a unicycle-like mobile robot. Furthermore, an adaptive version of the previous control law is proposed when the mobile robot is subjected to input disturbances. Finally, simulation results are presented.     

Kinematic control of redundant free-floating robotic systems

This paper is aimed at presenting solution algorithms to the inverse kinematics of a space manipulator mounted on a free-floating spacecraft. The reaction effects of the manipulator's motion on the spacecraft are taken into account by means of the so-called generalized Jacobian. Redundancy of the system with respect to the number of task variables for spacecraft attitude and manipulator end-effector pose is considered. Also, the problem of both spacecraft attitude and end-effector orientation representation is tackled by means of a non-minimal singularity-free representation: the unit quaternion. Depending on the nature of the task for the spacecraft/manipulator system, a number of closed-loop inverse kinematics algorithms are proposed. Case studies are developed for a system of a spacecraft with a six-joint manipulator attached.     

漂浮基空间机器人自适应RBF 网络终端滑模控制

主要研究漂浮基空间机器人对工作空间连续轨迹跟踪控制问题．针对系统动力学模型中非线性项未知，以及参数不确定性和外界扰动无法估计的情况，提出了基于自适应RBF网络终端滑模控制方法．该方法结合了非线性滑动流形与径向基函数特性，利用自适应RBF网络在线学习系统中的不确定性，使得无需精确的动力学模型亦能保证系统在有限时间内快速稳定．根据Lyapunov方法设计的自适应增益保证闭环控制系统具有全局稳定性，并且有效抑制抖振现象．针对6关节空间机器人的轨迹跟踪控制仿真表明，提出的自适应RBF网络终端滑模控制方法能够基于不完整动力学模型实现高精度轨迹跟踪，且误差在有限时间内快速收敛，系统抖振也得到了有效抑制．     

Dynamic control of free-floating coordinated space robots

The position and force control of coordinated robots mounted on spacecraft, manipulating objects with closed kinematic chain constraints, represents an important class of control problem. In this article, the kinematics and dynamics of free-floating coordinated space robotic system with closed kinematic constraints are developed. An approach to position and force control of free-floating coordinated space robots with closed kinematic constraints is proposed for the first time. Unlike previous coordinated space robot control methods which are for open kinematic chains, the method presented here addresses the main difficult problem of control of closed kinematic chains. The controller consists of two parts, position controller and internal force controller, which regulate, respectively, the object position and internal forces between the object and end-effectors. The stability of the closed-loop coordinated robotic system is analyzed using the error models of the object position and internal forces. It is proved that the errors in the object position and internal forces asymptotically converge to zero under the assumption of exact kinematic and dynamic models. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Precise trajectory control of a redundant flexible manipulator on a space platform

In this paper, we propose a trajectory control method for a redundant flexible space manipulator with slewing and deployable links on a space platform. This method consists manipulator tip position feedback with a transposed Jacobian matrix and local vibration control. We newly derive the Jacobian matrix for a flexible manipulator considering link deformation with the assumed modes method. Simulation results show the effectiveness of this method. We use dynamics consisting of an order N algorithm for N bodies, based on the non-recursive Lagrangian approach, to simulate the dynamics of an orbiting manipulator with an arbitrary number of slewing and deployable flexible links.     

Combined direct and indirect adaptive control of robot manipulators using multiple models

A novel methodology is proposed for the adaptive control of rigid robotic manipulators. The proposed method utilizes multiple adaptive models for the identification and control of the manipulator. The present study is an extension of our previous work which utilized an indirect adaptive control approach with multiple models for better transient performance. The proposed scheme uses a composite approach where both prediction and tracking errors are used in a combined direct and indirect adaptive control framework. Simulation results are given to demonstrate the efficient use of the methodology.     

Compliant motion using a mobile manipulator: an operational space formulation approach to aircraft canopy polishing

The operational space formulation provides a framework for the analysis and control of robotic systems with respect to interactions with their environments. In this paper, we discuss its implementation on a mobile manipulator programmed to polish an aircraft canopy with a curved surface of unknown geometry. The polishing task requires the robot to apply a specified normal force on the canopy surface while simultaneously performing a compliant motion keeping the surface of the grinding tool tangentially in contact with the workpiece. A human operator controls the mobile base via a joystick to guide the polishing tool to desired areas on the canopy surface, effectively increasing the mobile manipulator's reachable workspace. The results demonstrate the efficacy of compliant motion and force regulation based on the operational space formulation for robots performing tasks in unknown environments with robustness towards base motion disturbances. The mobile manipulator consists of a PUMA 560 arm mounted on top of a Nomad XR4000 mobile base. Implementation issues are discussed and experimental results are shown.     

输入有界的自由漂浮柔性空间机器人轨迹跟踪控制

针对自由漂浮柔性空间机器人轨迹跟踪控制问题, 首先利用拉格朗日和假设模态法建立了动力学模型. 分析系统动力学模型, 综合考虑欠驱动、柔性振动等特点, 将其简化为一种带有柔性振动扰动完全可控的动力学模型; 在此基础上, 考虑控制输入受限, 提出一种自适应状态反馈控制策略. 该策略采用自适应技术实时在线学习柔性振动扰动参数, 从而保证控制律对柔性振动扰动具有良好的鲁棒性; 最后, 基于Lyapunov方法证明了该控制策略能够实现关节期望轨迹的跟踪. 仿真验证了该控制策略对控制输入受限系统轨迹跟踪控制的有效性和可靠性.     

Vision-Based Task-Level Control of a Flexible-Link Manipulator

This paper discusses a vision-based approach to implement task-level control in flexible-link manipulators. The proposed approach emphasizes the advantage of using vision in the control of flexible manipulators. It is pointed out that taking advantage of the inherent robustness, implementation of an image-based visual servo can be regarded as a synthetic solution to precise task-level control of flexible manipulators. This approach is implemented in a three-dimensional flexible-link manipulator. The implementation makes good use of filters in decoupling task-level control and vibration suppression control. Moreover, we point out that although the robustness of the approach can help to overcome the difficulty in control resulting from the complex measurement of the link's elastic deformation, it lacks in capability of tip trajectory specification. This problem is analyzed in this research and it leads to the proposal for the integration of the image interpolation technique. This technique makes the proposed approach adequate for tasks involved with complex tip trajectories. For flexible-link manipulators, the proposed approach with the remedy is the first vision-based synthetic solution that attempts to make a flexible manipulator usable for a practical task.     

Adaptive Inverse Dynamics Four-Channel Control of Uncertain Nonlinear Teleoperation Systems

Most of the methods to date on bilateral control of nonlinear teleoperation systems lead to nonlinear and coupled closed-loop dynamics, even in the ideal case of perfect knowledge of the master, the slave, the human operator and the environment. Consequently, the transparency of these closed-loop systems is difficult to study. In comparison, inverse dynamics controllers can deal with the nonlinear terms in the dynamics in a way that, in the ideal case, the closed-loop systems become linear and decoupled. In this paper, for multi-d.o.f. nonlinear teleoperation systems with uncertainties, adaptive inverse dynamics controllers are incorporated into the four-channel bilateral teleoperation control framework. The resulting controllers do not need exact knowledge of the dynamics of the master, the slave, the human operator or the environment. A Lyapunov analysis is presented to prove the transparency of the teleoperation system. Simulations are also presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

Cartesian control of redundant robots

This article presents a Cartesian-space position/force controller for redundant robots. The proposed control structure partitions the control problem into a nonredundant position/force trajectory tracking problem and a redundant mapping problem between Cartesian control input F ? R ^m and robot actuator torque T ? R ⁿ(for redundant robots, m < n). The underdetermined nature of the F → T map is exploited so that the robot redundancy is utilized to improve the dynamic response of the robot. This dynamically optimal F → T map is implemented locally (in time) so that it is computationally efficient for on-line control; however, it is shown that the map possesses globally optimal characteristics. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the dynamically optimal F→T map can be modified so that the robot redundancy is used to simultaneously improve the dynamic response and realize any specified kinematic performance objective (e.g., manipulability maximization or obstacle avoidance). Computer simulation results are given for a four degree of freedom planar redundant robot under Cartesian control, and demonstrate that position/force trajectory tracking and effective redundancy utilization can be achieved simultaneously with the proposed controller.     

Adaptive control of free-floating space manipulators using dynamically equivalent manipulator model

In this paper, adaptive control of free-floating space manipulators is considered. The dynamics based on the momentum conservation law for the free-floating space manipulator has non-linear parameterization properties. Therefore, the adaptive control based on a linear parameterization model cannot be used in this dynamics. In this paper, the dynamics of the free-floating space manipulator system are derived using the Dynamically Equivalent Model (DEM) approach. The DEM is a fixed-base manipulator system and allows us to linearly parameterize the dynamic equations. Using this linearly parameterized dynamic equation, an adaptive control method is developed to control the system in joint space. Parameter identification and torque calculations are done using the DEM dynamics. Simulations show that the tracking errors of the manipulator joints to a given desired trajectory become zero when the calculated torques act on the joints of the space manipulator system.     

Real-time-based control system for a group of autonomous walking robots

The design target of complex control systems for novel robots with advanced motion abilities is to produce controllers (hardware and software) which are easy to program, re-program and debug. Those systems must be enabled to implement different motion principles with different hardware extensions (actuators, sensors, etc.). This paper introduces the problem of evaluation of hardware architecture together with the hardware type. We use the experience collected during realization of several prototypes of walking machines. The dedicated communication scheme elaborated for an embedded system is addressed in detail. The communication scheme can be used in every other system controlling the walking machine or controlling other robotic device. The navigation principles applied for a group of hexapods are briefly discussed for a better explanation of the functional structure of the implemented control system. The system actions are introduced. The system structure can be used for the control not only of a single mobile robot, but also a robot as a member of a group.     

Robust Adaptive Stabilization of Skid Steer Wheeled Mobile Robots Considering Slipping Effects

This paper represents the posture stabilization of a skid steer wheeled mobile robot (SSWMR). Although in mobile robots lateral skidding of the wheels occurs when turning at high speed, wheels of a SSWMR laterally skid in every rotational maneuver even at low speeds. Also, longitudinal slipping for wheeled mobile robots with pneumatic tires is inevitable due to tire deformation. In order to compensate for the effects of tire slippage and parameter uncertainties, an adaptive torque controller is developed based on a tunable dynamic oscillator. The globally uniformly ultimately bounded stability of the system to an arbitrarily small neighborhood of the origin is proved. The internal dynamics stability of the system is guaranteed employing a supervisory fuzzy logic-based controller. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed controller, modeling of a SSWMR was implemented through automatic dynamic analysis of mechanical systems (ADAMS).     

Robust motion control with the consideration algorithm of joint torque saturation for a redundant manipulator

As each joint actuator of a robot manipulator has a limit value of torque, the motion control system should consider the torque saturation. In order to consider the torque saturation in a transient state, this paper proposes a new redundant motion control system using the autonomous consideration algorithm on torque saturation. A Jacobian matrix of a redundant robot manipulator can select the optimal one considering its motion energy in the steady state. When the motion control system carries out fast motion and quick disturbance suppression, a high joint torque is required in a transient state. In the experimental results, under the condition of having a large payload torque and a fast motion reference, the proposed redundant manipulator control realizes the quick robot motion robustly and smoothly.     

On the use of free-floating space robots in the presence of angular momentum

Free-floating space manipulator systems include at least one manipulator mounted on an unactuated spacecraft. It is known that such systems exhibit nonholonomic behavior due to angular momentum conservation. In this paper, the initial angular momentum of the system is not assumed to be zero and its influence on system behavior is studied. In contrast to the case of zero initial momentum, in the presence of momentum, the manipulator end effector in general cannot remain at a given location for indefinite time. The paper studies the conditions under which this is possible, rendering the end-effector immune to angular momentum accumulation. The relevant kinematics and dynamics are studied in 2D and 3D systems, and workspace subsets, where the end effector can remain fixed, are identified. Examples illustrate the validity of the results.     

Minimum-time control of coupled tendon-driven manipulators

Hyper-redundant manipulators have very large degrees of redundancy, thus possessing unconventional features such as the ability to enter a narrow space while avoiding obstacles. In this study, a time-optimal control scheme is proposed for a hyper-redundant manipulator that was realized by coupled tendon-driven mechanisms. In the mechanisms, a pair of tendons for driving a joint is pulled from base actuators via pulleys mounted on the base-side joints and the degrees of actuation redundancy exist. The time-optimal trajectory planning problem is solved by using the phase-plane analysis and the linear programming technique. Computer simulations were also performed to show that the proposed scheme makes full use of the actuation redundancy of tendons and their coupled function to shorten motion time.     

Experimental study on fine motion control of underwater robots

This paper considers thruster dead zones and saturation limits, which are nonlinear elements that complicate fine motion control of underwater robots. If the vehicle is configured with redundant thrusters, the respective dead zones and their surrounding nonlinear regions could be avoided by implementing a null motion solution for the command input of the vehicle. This solution is derived from the vehicle's geometry and is realized before the application of the motion control algorithm. The result is an improvement in system performance exclusive of the implemented controller type. The approach is illustrated through simulation and experiment with an underwater robot, ODIN.