Pneumatic muscle actuator position control based on sliding mode control algorithms

This paper proposed two novel discrete sliding model controllers (DSMC), which based on equivalent control and exponential reaching law respectively. Three different control algorithms, PID, DSMC based on Equivalent control (DSMCEC) and DSMC based on exponential reaching (DSMC-ER) law, are applied to control a pneumatic muscle actuator (PMA) in a position control system. Simulation and experiment methods are used to study characteristics of those control algorithms. Results show that two DSMC control algorithms are both better compared with PID controller in robustness, though they own some strengths and weaknesses.