Trajectory Tracking Control for Flexible-Joint Robot Based on Extended Kalman Filter and PD Control
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Insect-controlled Robot: A Mobile Robot Platform to Evaluate the Odor-tracking Capability of an Insect
Published on: December 19, 2016
Tianyu Ma1,2, Zhibin Song1,2, Zhongxia Xiang1,2
1Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Abstract:
The robot arm with flexible joint has good environmental adaptability and human robot interaction ability. However, the controller for such robot mostly relies on data acquisition of multiple sensors, which is greatly disturbed by external factors, resulting in a decrease in control precision. Aiming at the control problem of the robot arm with flexible joint under the condition of incomplete state feedback, this paper proposes a control method based on closed-loop PD (Proportional-Derivative) controller and EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) state observer. Firstly, the state equation of the control system is established according to the non-linear dynamic model of the robot system. Then, a state prediction observer based on EKF is designed. The state of the motor is used to estimate the output state, and this method reduces the number of sensors and external interference. The Lyapunov method is used to analyze the stability of the system. Finally, the proposed control algorithm is applied to the trajectory control of the flexible robot according to the stability conditions, and compared with the PD control algorithm based on sensor data acquisition under the same experimental conditions, and the PD controller based on sensor data acquisition under the same test conditions. The experimental data of comparison experiments show that the proposed control algorithm is effective and has excellent trajectory tracking performance.
Related Concept Videos
PD Controller: Design
Designing a continuous-data controller requires selecting and linking components like adders and integrators, which are fundamental in Proportional,...
Time-Domain Interpretation of PD Control
Consider the example of control of motor torque. Initially, a positive...
Frequency-Domain Interpretation of PD Control
The proportional control gain, combined with the...
Control System Problem
When forming a closed-loop system, issues can arise if the poles cross into the unstable region, leading to potential...
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
Combinatorial Gene Control
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...

