Robotic application of adaptive VSC with deformable sliding surfaces

Variable-structure systems (VSS) are known as a class of nonlinear systems with discontinuous control. One of the most attractive features of VSS is availability of sliding mode. System dynamics in sliding mode can be robust to parametric uncertainties. Adaptive control is also available in VSS. In the paper a new robust adaptive variable-structure control in robotics is proposed. Control algorithm provides both high performance and reduced energy expenditure in comparison with conventional VSS. It is based on usage of a pair of switching surfaces closely located in state space of the system. Another control algorithm uses adaptively deformable sliding surfaces. Simulations of robot drives control with derived adaptive VSS algorithms confirmed their high efficiency