Kinematic reducibility of multiple model systems

This paper considers the relationship between second order multiple model systems and first order multiple model systems. Such a relationship is important to, among other things, studying path planning for mechanical control systems. This is largely due to the fact that the computational complexity of a path planning problem rapidly increases with the dimension of the state space, implying that being able to reduce a path planning problem from TQ to Q can be helpful. Not surprisingly, the necessary and sufficient condition for such a reduction is that each model constituting a multiple model control system be reducible. We present an extensive example in order to illustrate how these results can provide insight into the control of some specific physical systems

Smooth feedback control algorithms for distributed manipulators

This paper introduces a smooth control algorithm for controlling fully actuated distributed manipulation systems that operate by frictional contact. The control law scales linearly with the number of actuators and is simple to implement. Moreover, we prove that control law has desirable robustness properties in the presence of the nonsmooth mechanics inherent in distributed manipulation systems that rely upon frictional contact. This algorithm has been implemented on an experimental distributed manipulation test-bed, whose structure is briefly reviewed. The experimental results confirm the validity and performance of the algorithm

Nonsmooth controllability theory and an example

Extends results in local controllability analysis for multiple model driftless affine (MMDA) control systems. Such controllability results can be interpreted as non-smooth extensions of Chow's theorem, and use a set-valued Lie bracket. In particular, we formulate controllability in terms of generalized differential quotients. Additionally, we present an extensive example in order to illustrate how these results can provide insight into the control of some specific physical systems. Moreover, the paper indicates that a multiple model system consisting of individually controllable models is not necessarily controllable

Global stability for distributed systems with changing contact states

Analyzes the global stability of distributed manipulation control schemes. The "programmable vector field" approach, which assumes that the system's control actions can be approximated by a continuous vector force field, is a commonly proposed scheme for distributed manipulation control. In practical implementations, the continuous control force field idealization must then be adapted to the specifics of the discrete physical actuator array. However, in Murphey and Burdick (2001) it was shown that when one takes into account the discreteness of actuator arrays and realistic models of the actuator/object contact mechanics, the controls designed by the continuous approximation approach can be unstable at the desired equilibrium configuration. We introduced a discontinuous feedback law that locally stabilizes the manipulated object at the equilibrium. However, the stability of this feedback law only holds in a neighborhood of the equilibrium. In this paper we show how to combine the programmable vector field approach and our local feedback stabilization law to achieve a globally stable distributed manipulation control system. Simulations illustrate the method

On the stability and design of distributed manipulation control systems

Analyzes the stability of distributed manipulation control schemes. A commonly proposed method for designing a distributed actuator array control scheme assumes that the system's control action can be approximated by a continuous vector force field. The continuous control vector field idealization must then be adapted to the physical actuator array. However, we show that when one takes into account the discreteness of actuator arrays and realistic models of the actuator/object contact mechanics, the controls designed by the continuous approximation approach can be unstable. For this analysis we introduce and use a "power dissipation" method that captures the contact mechanics in a general but tractable way. We show that the quasi-static contact equations have the form of a switched hybrid system. We introduce a discontinuous feedback law that can produce stability which is robust with respect to variations in contact state