Fractional-order dynamics and adaptive dynamic surface control of flexible-joint robots

This paper establishes a novel fractional-order model for n-links flexible-joint (FJ) robots and proposes an adaptive dynamic surface control (DSC) scheme to address the tracking control problem. The fractional-order FJ model is built by fractional-order viscoelastic dynamics model to have a more concise form. An adaptive DSC strategy is proposed to address the tracking control problem based on backstepping method. By selecting the appropriate orders for fractional filters, the controller could solve the “explosion of complexity” problem. The unknown nonlinearities of FJ robot systems are approximated by Radial basis function (RBF) neural networks (NNs). Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, the bounds of all signals in the closed-loop system are achieved. The simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the presented control scheme.     

Adaptive Output Feedback Control of Flexible-Joint Robots Using Neural Networks: Dynamic Surface Design Approach

In this paper, we propose a new robust output feedback control approach for flexible-joint electrically driven (FJED) robots via the observer dynamic surface design technique. The proposed method only requires position measurements of the FJED robots. To estimate the link and actuator velocity information of the FJED robots with model uncertainties, we develop an adaptive observer using self-recurrent wavelet neural networks (SRWNNs). The SRWNNs are used to approximate model uncertainties in both robot (link) dynamics and actuator dynamics, and all their weights are trained online. Based on the designed observer, the link position tracking controller using the estimated states is induced from the dynamic surface design procedure. Therefore, the proposed controller can be designed more simply than the observer backstepping controller. From the Lyapunov stability analysis, it is shown that all signals in a closed-loop adaptive system are uniformly ultimately bounded. Finally, the simulation results on a three-link FJED robot are presented to validate the good position tracking performance and robustness of the proposed control system against payload uncertainties and external disturbances.     

基于扰动观测器的机器人自适应神经网络跟踪控制研究

为解决机器人动力学模型未知问题并提升系统鲁棒性,本文基于扰动观测器,考虑动力学模型未知的情况,设计了一种自适应神经网络（Neural network,NN）跟踪控制器.首先分析了机器人运动学和动力学模型,针对模型已知的情况,提出了刚体机械臂通用模型跟踪控制策略;在考虑动力学模型未知的情况下,利用径向基函数（Radial basis function,RBF）神经网络设计基于全状态反馈的自适应神经网络跟踪控制器,并通过设计扰动观测器补偿系统中的未知扰动.利用李雅普诺夫理论证明所提出的控制策略可以使闭环系统误差信号半全局一致有界（Semi-globally uniformly bounded,SGUB）,并通过选择合适的增益参数可以将跟踪误差收敛到零域.仿真结果证明所提出算法的有效性并且所提出的控制器在Baxter机器人平台上得到了实验验证.     

Distributed adaptive containment control of networked flexible-joint robots using neural networks

This study presents a distributed adaptive containment control approach for a group of uncertain flexible-joint (FJ) robots with multiple dynamic leaders under a directed communication graph. The leaders are neighbors of only a subset of the followers. The derivatives of the leaders are unknown, namely, the position information of the leaders is only available for implementing the proposed control approach. The local adaptive dynamic surface containment controller for each follower is designed using only neighbors’ information to guarantee that all followers converge to the dynamic convex hull spanned by the dynamic leaders. The function approximation technique using neural networks is employed to estimate the model uncertainties of each follower. It is proved that the containment control errors converge to an adjustable neighborhood of the origin regardless of model uncertainties and the lack of shared communication information. Simulation results for FJ manipulators are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive containment control scheme.     

具有参数不确定性的轮式移动机器人自适应backstepping控制

针对参数不确定的轮式移动机器人的轨迹跟踪问题,设计自适应跟踪控制器.基于移动机器人的动力学模型,采用backstepping积分方法,通过逐步递推选择适当的Lyapunov函数,设计基于状态反馈的自适应控制器,并进行了相应的稳定性分析.与传统PID控制进行仿真对比,结果表明提出的自适应控制策略能较好地补偿系统参数摄动的影响,提高了移动机器人的轨迹跟踪性能和鲁棒性.     

Adaptive observer-based trajectory tracking control of nonholonomic mobile robots

In this paper, an adaptive observer-based trajectory tracking problem is solved for nonholonomic mobile robots with uncertainties. An adaptive observer is first developed to estimate the unmeasured velocities of a mobile robot with model uncertainties. Using the designed observer and the backstepping technique, a trajectory tracking controller is designed to generate the torque as an input. Using Lyapunov stability analysis, we prove that the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable with respect to the estimation errors and tracking errors. Finally, the simulation results are presented to validate the performance and robustness of the proposed control system against uncertainties.     

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．     

Modeling and adaptive coordination control of a two-Robot system

Multiple robots are usually required in a flexible manufacturing system or a complex working environment. In particular, when an object under processing is too big or too heavy, a single robot is insufficient to handle it. Two robots are applicable in such case. This article aims to develop a complete mathematical model and an adaptive controller for two robots carrying a common load. It will be shown that the dynamic model of the two-robot system turns out to be a singular system, taking into account the object dynamics. The condition for which the system model holds is also discussed. The adaptive controller will be used to overcome uncertainties in the object dynamics and robots. The distributed forces in the robot end effectors are determined by an optimal criterion. It will be shown that the adaptive controller surpasses the conventional computed torque controller.     

含驱动器动力学的移动机器人编队自适应控制

针对含有驱动器及编队动力学的多非完整移动机器人编队控制问题,基于领航者-跟随者[l-ψ]控制结构,通过反步法设计了一种将运动学控制器与驱动器输入电压控制器相结合的新型控制策略。采用径向基神经网络（RBFNN）对跟随者及领航者动力学非线性不确定部分进行在线估计,并通过自适应鲁棒控制器对神经网络建模误差进行补偿。该方法不但解决了移动机器人编队控制的参数与非参数不确定性问题,同时也确保了机器人编队在期望队形下对指定轨迹的跟踪;基于Lyapunov方法的设计过程,保证了控制系统的稳定与收敛;仿真结果表明了该方法的有效性。     

Formation control of multiple mecanum-wheeled mobile robots with physical constraints and uncertainties

Aiming at the formation control of multiple Mecanum-wheeled mobile robots (MWMRs) with physical constraints and model uncertainties, a novel robust control scheme that combines model predictive control (MPC) and extended state observer-based adaptive sliding mode control (ESO-ASMC) is proposed in this paper. First, a linear MPC strategy is proposed to address the motion constraints of MWMRs, which can transform the robot formation model based on leader-follower into a constrained quadratic programming (QP) problem. The QP problem can be solved iteratively online by a delay neural network (DNN) to obtain the optimal control velocity of the follower robot. Then, to address the input saturation constraints, model uncertainties and unknown disturbances in the dynamic model, an improved ESO-ASMC is proposed and compared with the robust adaptive terminal sliding mode control (RATSMC) and the conventional sliding mode control (SMC) to prove the effectiveness. The proposed scheme, considering the optimal control velocity obtained by the kinematics controller as the given desired velocity of the dynamics controller, can implement precise formation control, while solving various physical constraints of the robot, and eliminating the effects of model uncertainties and disturbances. Finally, through a comparative simulation case, the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method are verified.

     

An Intelligent Robust Tracking Control for a Class of Electrically Driven Mobile Robots

This paper addresses the problem of designing robust tracking control for a class of uncertain wheeled mobile robots actuated by brushed direct current motors. This class of electrically‐driven mechanical systems consists of the robot kinematics, the robot dynamics, and the wheel actuator dynamics. Via the backstepping technique, an intelligent robust tracking control scheme that integrates a kinematic controller and an adaptive neural network‐based (or fuzzy‐based) controller is developed such that all of the states and signals of the closed‐loop system are bounded and the tracking error can be made as small as possible. Two adaptive approximation systems are constructed to learn the behaviors of unknown mechanical and electrical dynamics. The effects of both the approximation errors and the unmodeled time‐varying perturbations in the input and virtual‐input weighting matrices are counteracted by suitably tuning the control gains. Consequently, the robust control scheme developed here can be employed to handle a broader class of electrically‐driven wheeled mobile robots in the presence of high‐degree time‐varying uncertainties. Finally, a simulation example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed control scheme.     

Robust adaptive neural tracking control for a class of electrically driven robots with time delays

This article addresses the problem of designing the robust tracking control for a class of uncertain electrically driven robots with time delays. The unknown time-delay uncertainty is assumed to be bounded by a function of all the state variables. By suitably choosing the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals, a novel adaptive/robust neural tracking control scheme is developed for the first time such that all the states and signals of the closed-loop time-delay robot system are bounded and the tracking error is shown to be uniformly ultimately bounded. By suitably designing the embedded current signal, the effect of time-delay uncertainty in the mechanical dynamics does not require to be incorporated into the current tracking error dynamics, and so the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals can be easily constructed in the stability analysis. Compared with the previous investigations of controlling robots the control scheme developed here can be extended to handle a broader class of electrically driven robots perturbed simultaneously by plant uncertainties, time-varying perturbations, and time-delay uncertainties. Finally, simulation examples are made to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.     

基于UKF的移动机器人主动建模及模型自适应控制方法

利用基于无色卡尔曼滤波（Unscented Kalman Filter, UKF）的状态和参数联合估计方法对移动机器人进行在线主动建模,基于该主动模型的逆动力学控制方法,实现了移动机器人对其自身不确定因素的自主性. 在针对全方位移动机器人的仿真实验中,验证了UKF对时变的状态和参数的收敛性和跟踪能力,并给出了不确定界. 基于主动建模的逆动力学控制方法与常值PID控制方法的比较结果,验证了该方法的有效性.     

Adaptive control of robot manipulator using fuzzy compensator

This paper presents two kinds of adaptive control schemes for robot manipulator which has the parametric uncertainties. In order to compensate these uncertainties, we use the FLS (fuzzy logic system) that has the capability to approximate any nonlinear function over the compact input space. In the proposed control schemes, we need not derive the linear formulation of robot dynamic equation and tune the parameters. We also suggest the robust adaptive control laws in all proposed schemes for decreasing the effect of approximation error. To reduce the number of fuzzy rules of the FLS, we consider the properties of robot dynamics and the decomposition of the uncertainty function. The proposed controllers are robust not only to the structured uncertainty such as payload parameter, but also to the unstructured one such as friction model and disturbance. The validity of the control scheme is shown by computer simulations of a two-link planar robot manipulator     

Adaptive Dynamic Surface control of An electrohydraulic Actuator with Friction Compensation

In this paper, an adaptive nonlinear control scheme with a friction observer for position control of an electrohydraulic actuator is proposed. The observer based on the LuGre friction model is employed to compensate for the friction. Adaptation laws are used to handle parameter uncertainties in the actuator and friction model. The control law including dynamics of the observer is developed through a backstepping‐like dynamic surface control (DSC) technique. Experimental results have illustrated the success of the control scheme. The results also show that the adaptive DSC controller has better tracking performance than an adaptive backstepping and conventional PI controllers.     

A Proposed Hybrid Recurrent Neural Control System for Two Co-operating Robots

This paper discusses a model refernce adaptive (MRAC) position/force controller using proposed neural networks for two co-operating planar robots. The proposed neural network is a recurrent hybrid network. The recurrent networks have feedback connections and thus an inherent memory for dynamics, which makes them suitable for representing dynamic systems. A feature of the networks adopted is their hybrid hidden layer, which includes both linear and nonlinear neurons. On the other hand, the results of the case of a single robot under position control alone are presented for comparison. The results presented show the superior ability of the proposed neural network based model reference adaptive control scheme at adapting to changes in the dynamics parameters of robots.     

Multi-robot coordination for jams in congested systems

This paper describes a novel coordination methodology of autonomous mobile robots for jams in a congested system with bottlenecks. This methodology consists of two approaches based on an interaction force and behavior regulation rule for a robot. The former is for directly controlling velocity of a robot in the behavioral dynamics, and the latter is for amplifying the interaction force so that velocity of a robot is externally reduced in a certain place. In the first approach, a previously-proposed robot behavior control technique by the authors that utilizes the interaction force among robots is improved, and it enables the robots to reduce their velocity in response to not only a jam but also a decelerating robot immediately in front of them. In the second approach, a behavior regulation rule in connection with the interaction force is designed and provided in congested segments on a lane. Thus, the amplified interaction force causes the robots to move more slowly in the congested segments. The improved robot behavior control technique and behavior regulation rule are implemented in simulation experiments and compared to the previous robot behavior control technique and adaptive cruise control (ACC) that has been proposed for vehicles. Furthermore, the improved interaction force and behavior regulation rule are appended to ACC, and the potential of using ACC with the two approaches is discussed. Finally, the effectiveness of the improved interaction force and the behavior regulation rule for multi-robot coordination in a congested system with bottlenecks is shown.     

基于二阶运动学模型的移动机器人主从跟踪系统的鲁棒控制

In this paper, we study the problem of modeling and controlling leader-follower formation of mobile robots. First, a novel kinematics model for leader-follower robot formation is formulated based on the relative motion states between the robots and the local motion of the follower robot. Using this model, the relative centripetal and Coriolis accelerations between robots are computed directly by measuring the relative and local motion sensors, and utilized to linearize the nonlinear system equations. A formation controller, consisting of a feedback linearization part and a sliding mode compensator, is designed to stabilize the overall system including the internal dynamics. The control gains are determined by solving a robustness inequality and assumed to satisfy a cooperative protocol that guarantees the stability of the zero dynamics of the formation system. The proposed controller generates the commanded acceleration for the follower robot and makes the formation control system robust to the effect of unmeasured acceleration of the leader robot. Furthermore, a robust adaptive controller is developed to deal with parametric uncertainty in the system. Simulation and experimental results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed control method.     

Sliding Mode Neuro Adaptive Control in Trajectory Tracking for Mobile Robots

In this work a neural indirect sliding mode control method for mobile robots is proposed. Due to the nonholonomic property and restricted mobility, the trajectory tracking of this system has been one of the research topics for the last ten years. The proposed control structure combines a feedback linearization model, based on a kinematics nominal model, and a practical design that combines an indirect neural adaptation technique with sliding mode control to compensate the dynamics of the robot. Using an online adaptation scheme, a neural sliding mode controller is used to approximate the equivalent control in the neighbourhood of the sliding manifold. A sliding control is appended to ensure that the neural sliding mode control can achieve a stable closed-loop system for the trajectory-tracking control of a mobile robot with unknown nonlinear dynamics. The proposed design simultaneously guarantees the stability of the adaptation of the neural nets and obtains suitable equivalent control when the parameters of the robot model are unknown in advance. The robust adaptive scheme is applied to a mobile robot and shown to be able to guarantee that the output tracking error will converge to zero.     

Adaptive feedback linearizing control of nonholonomic wheeled mobile robots in presence of parametric and nonparametric uncertainties

In this paper, the integrated kinematic and dynamic trajectory tracking control problem of wheeled mobile robots (WMRs) is addressed. An adaptive robust tracking controller for WMRs is proposed to cope with both parametric and nonparametric uncertainties in the robot model. At first, an adaptive nonlinear control law is designed based on input–output feedback linearization technique to get asymptotically exact cancellation of the parametric uncertainty in the WMR parameters. The designed adaptive feedback linearizing controller is modified by two methods to increase the robustness of the controller: (1) a leakage modification is applied to modify the integral action of the adaptation law and (2) the second modification is an adaptive robust controller, which is included to the linear control law in the outer loop of the adaptive feedback linearizing controller. The adaptive robust controller is designed such that it estimates the unknown constants of an upper bounding function of the uncertainty due to friction, disturbances and unmodeled dynamics. Finally, the proposed controller is developed for a type (2, 0) WMR and simulations are carried out to illustrate the robustness and tracking performance of the controller.