Analysis of exclusively kinetic two-link underactuated mechanical systems (Q1614429)

This paper considers exclusively two-link underactuated mechanical systems. The authors first show that such systems are not full-state feedback linearizable around any equilibrium point. In addition, they show that the equilibrium points for which such a system is small-time locally controllable is at most a one-dimensional submanifold. The authors introduce a concept called small-time local output controllability (STLOC). When a system meets the STLOC criteria, a chosen output can be controlled at its desired value. Also, for STLOC systems, the inertia coupling behavior between input and output is nonzero. Under these circumstances, the system is also nonminimum phase. The authors illustrate their results by analyzing the pendubot (a planar robot -- an elbow manipulator with the first joint activated), and an aerobot (the same, except the second joint is activated).