Robotica

Table of Contents - 1997 - Volume 15, Issue 03  

Research Article

Variable structure control applied to underactuated robots

Kangsik Lee a1 , Sheri Coates a1 and Victoria Coverstone-Carroll a1
a1 Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 305A Talbot Laboratory, Urbana IL 61801, USA. E-mail: vcc@uiuc.edu

Abstract

Variable structure control is applied to an underactuated two and three-link robot. Control laws are developed to invert the robot from its stable, downward equilibrium position to an inverted position. This maneuver is accomplished by pumping energy into the system with the variable structure controller. A linear balancing controller is activated once the robot nears the inverted position. Numerical simulations are presented for both the two and three-link robot.

(Accepted June 8 1996)

Key Words: Underactuated robots; Variable structure control; Robots.