Project Title:

Natural Tracking Control for Telerobotic Servicing Robots

94-1	05.05	0042		

Natural Tracking Control for Telerobotic Servicing Robots

Abstract:

A low cost, high-performance servo technology is proposed using 
natural tracking control algorithms to enhance the precision and 
robustness of telerobotic servicing robot systems. It is 
anticipated that natural tracking control will improve the 
performance of these robot systems by forcing the elementwise, 
exponential following of desired outputs to be controlled without 
the knowledge of the internal dynamics of the plant or of the 
external disturbances on the plant. The destabilizing effect of 
time delay inherent in telerobotic control will be minimized by the 
elimination of tracking errors. Path planning can be done with the 
assurance that the robots will faithfully follow the desired 
outputs. Phase I research will identify a MIMO nonlinear system to 
analyze, determine the baseline tracking performance, design 
(mathematically) a natural tracking controller for compensation of 
friction, backlash, and other nonlinear effects and sensor noise. 
Phase I will also develop guidelines for the implementation of 
natural tracking control in a generic controller module for Phase 
II implementation and testing. It is anticipated that the benefits 
from the development of this control algorithm and controller 
include their wide application to the control of commercial 
systems, including robotics, process controls, machine tools, 
rockets, and aircraft.

The potential commercial applications include a natural tracking 
controller for robotics, process controls, machine tools, rockets 
and aircraft. The natural tracking control algorithms offer the 
potential for modular, programmable, and robust controllers to be 
implemented with current controller technology.

Key Words

M & M Technologies, Inc., 
P.O. Box 211544 
Columbia SC 29221-6544