Design limitations of PD versus fuzzy controllers for the Acrobot

Abstract

This paper discusses the swing-up control of a two link robot mechanism known as the Acrobot. First a PD controller is investigated and then a fuzzy controller is implemented by a combination of genetic algorithms, dynamic switching fuzzy systems, and meta-rule techniques. Limitations of the PD controller and the fuzzy controller are shown by investigating the effect of external random disturbances on the Acrobot using simulation. Design considerations are discussed. This study illustrates how intelligent control methods can reduce development effort and system complexity while achieving better performance.