Global finite-time inverse tracking control of robot manipulators

This paper addresses the global finite-time tracking of robot manipulators. By replacing with the nonlinear exponential-like errors, the commonly used inverse dynamics control for robot manipulators is modified to produce global finite-time tracking. Using this method, the controlled robotic system is transformed into a nonlinear and decoupled one, and thus the tracking performance is very convenient to quantify. A Lyapunov-like argument along with finite-time stability analysis is employed to prove global finite-time stability. Simulations performed on a two degree-of-freedom (DOF) manipulator are provided to illustrate the effectiveness and the improved performance of the formulated algorithm.