Chatter free variable structure perturbation estimator on the torque control of flexible robot joints with disturbance and parametric uncertainties

A perturbation estimator using the theory of variable-structure systems is designed to enhance the robustness of a pole-placement controller design in the control of joint torque. In its ideal form, the pole-placement design using feedback-linearization technique achieves desired performance in nonlinear time-varying systems. However, its performance deteriorates rapidly with the presence of disturbance and parametric uncertainties, referred to as perturbation. The estimate generated by the proposed perturbation estimator is incorporated as an additional input to rectify the uncertainties in the nominal control model of the pole-placement design. The proposed scheme requires neither the measurement of the time derivative of state vector nor the precise knowledge of system parameters, but rather the bounds on system perturbation. Chatter and the adverse effects of conservative bounds on system perturbation, often encountered in conventional sliding-mode control (SMC), are alleviated for the controlled plant by this scheme.