Nonlinear and adaptive control with applications (Q2473299)

This books studies a methodology for stabilization of nonlinear systems that they refer to as ``immersion and invariance''. The key philosophy is to have lower-dimensional dynamics on a certain manifold which is invariant in the sense that we cannot leave the manifold and stable while, for the full dynamics, this manifold is globally attractive. This particular structure is generally not present yet but obtained through feedback. In other words, the objective is to find a feedback which makes a manifold invariant, stable and attractive. This results in a system which is globally stable. This seems to be a very indirect method to stabilize a system but the authors illustrate through many examples that for many systems there exists a very natural choice for this subsystem and the associated manifold. Examples given in the book are slow dynamics of a singularly perturbed system; the zero dynamics of systems in feedback form; the unactuated dynamics in underactuated mechanical systems. In adaptive control the target dynamics is the plant with a stabilizing known-parameters controller. Clearly, the fact that the target system is not known complicated this analysis. Main applications of this technique as outlined in the book are adaptive control, observer design and robust stabilization. The last three chapters of the book apply the techniques presented in this book to electrical, mechanical and electromechanical systemms.