Neural adaptive tracking controller for robot manipulators with unknown dynamics

The trajectory tracking problem of a class of robot manipulators is investigated by a simpler design adaptive neural network(NN) in this paper. The Radial Basis Function(RBF) NN is utilized to handle the uncertainties of the dynamics. Compared with the traditional schemes, the dimension of the input vectors of RBFNN is decrease from $4n$ to $3n$ but it have equal tracking and approximation performances. The output feedback control is considered when the velocity information cannot be obtained. Moreover, the weights of RBFNN converge to its optimal value by using the auxiliary filter to estimate weights error. The robot manipulator system is semi-globally and uniformly bounded which is proved by Lyapunov's theory. Simulation results demonstrate that the simpler controller has the same capability compared with the non-simplified method.

In this paper, a controller for robot manipulators is proposed to guarantee the tracking error of the systems bounded by predefined decreasing boundary. In this control scheme, a multi-layer neural network is used to approximate the unknown non-linear items, and the robustifying control term is used to compensate the approximation errors. The adaptive laws of weights of the neural network and robustifying control term are derived based on the Lyapunov stability analysis, so that, under appropriate assumptions, the transient and steady-state error bounds can be guaranteed. Compared with the existing work, the adaptable parameters in the proposed method do not need an off-line training procedure for better approximation. Simulations performed on a two-link robot manipulator illustrate the developed controller and demonstrate its performance.

Learning from adaptive neural output feedback control of robot manipulators

In this paper, the global adaptive neural control with finite-time (FT) convergence learning performance for a general class of nonlinear robot manipulators has been investigated. The scheme proposed in this paper offers a subtle blend of neural controller with robust controller, which palliates the limitation of neural approximation region to ensure globally uniformly ultimately bounded (GUUB) stability by integrating a switching mechanism. Morever, the proposed scheme guarantees the estimated neural weights converging to optimal values in finite time by embedding an adaptive learning algorithm driven by the estimated weights error. The optimal weights obtained through the learning process of the neural networks (NNs) will be reused next time for repeated tasks, and can thus reduce computational load, improve transient performance and enhance robustness. The simulation studies have been carried out to demonstrate the superior performance of the controller in comparison to the conventional methods.

Adaptive path tracking control of robotic manipulators with unknown payload dynamics

This paper addresses force estimation and trajectory tracking control for robotic manipulator in the presence of uncertain external load force at end effector. One-step Guess method using one step history data sampled from actual continuous-time plant at a constant sampling interval is developed to estimate the unknown fixed or time-varying force. A discrete-time adaptive controller based on estimation of load force is designed to track desired joint trajectory. System simulation of a 6 DOF manipulator is carried out with the help of robotic toolbox in MATLAB, which demonstrates performances of the proposed scheme dealing with both fixed and variable forces, compared with traditional control method.

A force/position hybrid adaptive control method based on radial basis function(RBF) neural network is proposed to solve the problem of difficulties to precisely describe the compliance and friction for robot terminal during trajectory tracking process.RBF neural network is an efficient feed-forward neural network with non-linear approximation and global optimization characteristics,which is not provided by other feed-forward networks,which is simple in network structure,and rapid in training speed.An adaptive controller is designed that relies on the nonlinear approximation ability of the RBF neural network to estimate the uncertainty factors in the models,the update rules for the weights of the controller neural network is provided and its finally uniform boundedness of the errors of the controller output force and position is proved.The controller is applied to a duct cleaning robot for simulation experiments.Simulation results shows that the adaptive controller demonstrates superior tracking precision and robustness compared with traditional adaptive controller.

A switched adaptive controller is designed for robot manipulators with friction and changing loads. The nonlinear friction is depicted by a nonlinear friction model, and a switched nonlinear system is used to model the parameter jump caused by load change. Hyperstability theory is used in the designing procedure, which provides more options for adaptive laws than Lyapunov theory. In the presence of friction and changing loads, asymptotic tracking is achieved under arbitrary switching, which is not able to accomplish by a non-switched adaptive controller. The proposed method is validated by a simulation of a 2 degree of freedom manipulator.

In this study, we consider the output feedback position tracking control of robot manipulator via a fuzzy logic adaptation compensation method which enables the use of adaptive controller techniques for the full order but not fully linearly parameterized (LP) robot dynamics. Specifically we propose an output feedback position tracking controller that achieves semi-globally ultimately bounded link position tracking despite the lack of link velocity measurements and the non-LP uncertainties associated with the robot dynamics. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the performance of the controller

This paper introduces an optimal tracking controller for robot manipulators with asymmetrically saturated torques and partially - unknown dynamics based on a reinforcement learning method using a neural network. Firstly, the feedforward control inputs are designed based on the backstepping technique to convert the tracking control problem into the optimal tracking control problem. Secondly, a cost function of the system with asymmetrically saturated input is defined, and the constrained Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation is built, which is solved by the online reinforcement learning algorithm using only a single neural network. Then, the asymmetric saturation optimal control rule is determined. Additionally, the concurrent learning technique is used to relax the demand for the persistence of excitation conditions. The built algorithm ensures that the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable, the approximation error is uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB), and the cost function converges to the near-optimal value. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is shown through comparative simulations.

Real-time motion planning and control of multi-joint robot manipulators are studied using neural networks. The proposed neural network approach consists of two modules: one for real-time collision-free motion planning, the other for real-time fine control of the robot manipulators. The motion planning module is a biologically inspired, parallel connected, topologically organised neural network, where each neuron is characterised by a shunting equation, whose state space is the robot configuration joint space. This module is capable of planning a real-time optimal path for robot manipulators through the dynamic activity landscape of the neural network. The motion control module involves of a feedforward neural network together with a traditional PD feedback loop. It is capable of achieving real-time fine motion control of robot manipulators under significant uncertainties and without any prior knowledge of the robot dynamics. This module can quickly compensate sudden changes in the robot dynamics. The real-time fine control of robot manipulators is achieved through the online learning of the neural network. Both the motion planning and motion control modules are computationally efficient, and their global stabilities are proved using Lyapunov stability theory.

This paper presents a novel adaptive fast-terminal neuro-sliding mode control (AFTN-SMC) for a two-link robot manipulator with unknown dynamics and external disturbances. The proposed controller is chattering-free and adaptive to the time-varying system uncertainties. Furthermore, the radial base function neural network (RBFNN) is employed to approximate the unknown state dynamics. The simulations have been completed in MATLAB, which illustrates the successful implementation of the proposed controller. The results showcased the effectiveness of the AFTN-SMC in achieving accurate tracking and stability, even in the presence of uncertainties and parameter variations. The incorporation of the RBFNN in the controller proved to be a valuable tool for approximating the unknown dynamics, enabling accurate estimation and control of the manipulator’s behavior. The research presented in this paper contributes to the advancement in control techniques for robot manipulators in diverse industrial and automation applications.

Adaptive control of robot manipulators based on the use of a sliding variable and the passivity property of the dynamic equations was originally designed and successfully applied to task tracking in joint space few decades ago. Surprisingly, no extension is available to date for the multi-task case such that the controller tends towards enforcing strict task priorities as the parameters tend to their real values. Given the importance of both multi-task control and adaptive algorithms, an approach that deals with this situation has an important impact in the robotic field. This letter provides a solution to this problem leveraging on our recent formulation of hierarchical multi-task impedance control for trajectory tracking and on geometric methods for model identification. Experiments are used to validate the stability analysis.

This paper presents a robust adaptive fuzzy neural controller (AFNC) suitable for motion control of multilink robot manipulators. The proposed controller has the following salient features: (1) self-organizing fuzzy neural structure, i.e., fuzzy control rules can be generated or deleted automatically according to their significance to the control system and the complexity of the mapped system and no predefined fuzzy rules are required; (2) fast online learning ability, i.e., no prescribed training models are needed for online learning and weights of the fuzzy neural controller are modified without any iterations; (3) fast convergence of tracking errors, i.e., manipulator joints can track the desired trajectories very quickly; (4) adaptive control, i.e., structure and parameters of the AFNC can be self-adaptive in the presence of disturbances to maintain high control performance; and (5) robust control, where asymptotic stability of the control system is established using the Lyapunov theorem. Experimental evaluation conducted on an industrial selectively compliant assembly robot arm demonstrates that excellent tracking performance can be achieved under time-varying conditions.

An adaptive fuzzy logic controller is proposed for trajectory tracking control of robot manipulators. The approach uses quantitative control schemes to ensure global stability and qualitative control schemes to approximate any nonlinear functions caused by disturbances, system uncertainties and interconnections. With the PD control as a preliminary component in maintaining the local stability, we add nonlinear feedback to ensure global stability of the entire system. An adaptive fuzzy logic controller is incorporated into the robot arm control system as a function approximator to compensate the interconnections effect, unmodeled dynamics, friction, gravity force and uncertainties. The stability criteria of the proposed controller is developed using the Lyapunov synthesis approach. Computer simulations show that the proposed adaptive fuzzy controller outperforms traditional control approaches.