An experimentally verified robust backstepping approach for controlling robotic manipulators actuated via brushless DC motors

Abstract

This work presents the design and the corresponding stability analysis of a robust backstepping controller for robot manipulators driven by brushless DC motors. The overall stability of the mechanical and electrical subsystems is validated via Lyapunov based arguments. The proposed methodology achieves global practical tracking ( i.e. , globally uniformly ultimate boundedness) of the desired joint level trajectories despite the presence of uncertainties associated with the dynamical parameters of the mechanical and the electrical actuation system. Experimental studies performed on an in house built 2 link robotic device actuated via brushless DC motors are presented to illustrate the performance and feasibility of the proposed method.