Linear and nonlinear control of a robotic excavator

Abstract

Various control systems for a robotic excavator named LUCIE (Lancaster University Computerized and Intelligent Excavator), were investigated. The excavator is being developed to dig trenches autonomously. One stumbling block is the achievement of adequate, accurate, quick and smooth movement under automatic control. Here, both classical and modern approaches are considered, including proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control tuned by conventional Zigler-Nichols rules, linear proportional-integral-plus (PIP) control, and a novel nonlinear PIP controller based on a state-dependent parameter (SDP) model structure, in which the parameters are functionally dependent on other variables in the system. Implementation results for the excavator joint arms control demonstrate that SDP-PIP controller provides the improved performance with fast, smooth and accurate response in comparison with both PID and linearized PIP control.

Keywords

robotic excavator / proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control / proportional-integral-plus (PIP) control / identification / state-dependent parameter model / state variable feedback

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