Flexible-link robot manipulators. Control techniques and structural design (Q1593854)

This monograph describes in detail both the development and implementation of nonlinear mathematical techniques for feedback control and shape design of robot manipulators whose links have considerable structural flexibility. Fundamental coverage includes: different methods for control and design of flexible-link manipulators, and two-time scale modeling and control of flexible-link manipulators. Furthermore, and the authors introduce some basic concepts and definitions such as internal dynamics, zero dynamics, and the nonminimum-phase characteristic for nonlinear systems. Technological aspects include software simulations and practical implementation. The authors focus on two nonlinear model-based design methods for trajectory tracking control, and also consider the structural shape design. The main advantages of control strategies studied in this monograph over conventional control methods are robust closed-loop performance and sufficiently small tip-position tracking errors.