Adaptation and learning using multiple models, switching, and tuning

This article presents a general methodology for the design of adaptive control systems which can learn to operate efficiently in dynamical environments possessing a high degree of uncertainty. Multiple models are used to describe the different environments and the control is effected by switching to an appropriate controller followed by tuning or adaptation. The study of linear systems provides the theoretical foundation for the approach and is described first. The manner in which such concepts can be extended to the control of nonlinear systems using neural networks is considered next. Towards the end of the article, the applications of the above methodology to practical robotic manipulator control is described