New method for tuning robust controllers applied to robot manipulators

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology to select the parameters of a nonlinear controller using Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI). The controller is applied to a robotic manipulator to improve its robustness. This type of dynamic system enables the robust control law to be applied because it largely depends on the mathematical model of the system; however, in most cases it is impossible to be completely precise. The discrepancy between the dynamic behaviour of the robot and its mathematical model is taken into account by including a nonlinear term that represents the model's uncertainty. The controller's parameters are selected with two purposes: to guarantee the asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system while taking into account the uncertainty, and to increase its robustness margin. The results are validated with numerical simulations for a particular case study; these are then compared with previously published results to prove a better controller performance. © 2012 Romero et al.