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Nonlinear Tracking Control of a Conductive Supercoiled Polymer Actuator
Tuan Anh Luong1, Kyeong Ho Cho1, Min Geun Song1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University , Suwon, South Korea .
Soft Robotics
|December 1, 2017
Summary
Researchers developed a new control method for artificial muscles made from nylon fishing lines. This advanced controller significantly improves precision and robustness, outperforming traditional methods for accurate movement control.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Materials Science
- Control Systems Engineering
Background:
- Artificial muscles from nylon fishing lines offer high performance but suffer from significant nonlinearities.
- These nonlinearities complicate precise trajectory-tracking control applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a nonlinear mathematical model for conductive supercoiled polymer (SCP) actuators.
- To design a model-based feedback controller to address the control challenges of SCP actuators.
- To improve the precision and robustness of SCP actuator-driven systems.
Main Methods:
- Developed a nonlinear mathematical model incorporating hysteresis for SCP actuators.
- Designed a sliding mode controller (SMC) based on the nonlinear model.
- Proved asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system using Lyapunov theory.
- Conducted experimental evaluations comparing SMC with a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller.
Main Results:
- The proposed sliding mode controller demonstrated superior performance compared to the PID controller.
- Tracking errors were reduced by approximately 10 times with the SMC.
- The SMC exhibited enhanced robustness against external disturbances like sensor noise and modeling errors.
Conclusions:
- The developed nonlinear model and sliding mode controller effectively manage the complexities of SCP actuators.
- The proposed control strategy significantly enhances trajectory-tracking accuracy and system robustness.
- This research paves the way for more reliable and precise applications of artificial muscle technology.
