A robust third order sliding mode control of rigid underactuated robotic manipulator

Robotic manipulators are widely used in space applications. It is a very tough task to handle actuator failure. Purposely, the system could also be designed to be underactuated to lower the weight and power consumption and make it cost effective. Higher order sliding mode control could prove to be a good control philosophy for controlling such underactuated systems. In the present work a strategy of choosing sliding function for tracking control of end effector in underactuated manipulator has been demonstrated by designing the third order sliding mode control and finite time convergence to sliding surface has also been achieved.