Robust trajectory control in the workspace of a class of flexible robots

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a robust indirect adaptive controller for a class of robots which have a flexible beam as last link. Since the relation between the joint space and the workspace depends on both the kinematics and the dynamics, a virtual joint space is defined so as to be related kinematically to the workspace. In fact, the transformation is defined from the virtual joint space to the joint and deformation spaces. Since the robot is a non‐minimum‐phase system in the virtual joint space, the transformation is obtained, in‐line by the iterative use of the causal–anticausal approach. Based on that transformation, a robust adaptive controller can be designed to ensure robust and fast convergence of the tracking error in the joint, deformation and virtual joint spaces. The controller thus obtained is simulated for a manipulator having one rigid and one flexible link. The simulation results demonstrate the good performances and the robustness of the system. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.