Optimal Position and Attitude Control of Quadcopter Using Stochastic Differential Dynamic Programming with Input Saturation Constraints

This paper considers the position and attitude control of a quadcopter in the presence of stochastic disturbances. Basic quadcopter dynamics is modeled as a nonlinear stochastic system described by a stochastic differential equation. Subsequently, the position and attitude control is formulated as a nonlinear stochastic optimal control problem with input saturation constraints. To solve this problem, a continuous-time stochastic differential dynamic programming (DDP) method with input saturation constraints is newly proposed. Finally, numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method by comparing it with the linear quadratic Gaussian and the deterministic DDP with input saturation constraints.

Mechanical design and robust tracking control of a class of antagonistic variable stiffness actuators based on the equivalent nonlinear torsion springs

The novel conceptual model of the antagonistic variable stiffness actuator based on the equivalent nonlinear torsion spring and the friction damper is demonstrated. For the dynamic model of the antagonistic variable stiffness actuator in the presence of parametric uncertainties, unknown bounded friction torques, unknown bounded external disturbance, and input saturation constraints, using the coordinate transformation, the state space model of the antagonistic variable stiffness actuator with composite disturbances and input saturation constraints is transformed into an extended integral chain–type pseudo-linear system with input saturation constraints. Subsequently, a combination of the linear extended state observer, sliding mode control, and adaptive input saturation compensation law is adopted for the design of the robust tracking controller that simultaneously regulates the position and stiffness of the antagonistic equivalent nonlinear torsion spring-based variable stiffness actuator. Under the proposed controller, the semi-global uniformly ultimately bounded stability of the closed-loop system has been proved via Lyapunov stability analysis. Simulation studies demonstrate the effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed robust adaptive tracking control method for the antagonistic variable stiffness actuator.

Robust Adaptive Synchronization of Chaotic Systems With Nonsymmetric Input Saturation Constraints

This paper considers the robust synchronization of chaotic systems in the presence of nonsymmetric input saturation constraints. The synchronization happens between two nonlinear master and slave systems in the face of model uncertainties and external disturbances. A new adaptive sliding mode controller is designed in a way that the robust synchronization occurs. In this regard, a theorem is proposed, and according to the Lyapunov approach the adaptation laws are derived, and it is proved that the synchronization error converges to zero despite of the uncertain terms in master and slave systems and nonsymmetric input saturation constraints. Finally, the proposed method is applied on chaotic gyro systems to show its applicability. Computer simulations verify the theoretical results and also show the effective performance of the proposed controller.