Optimal control of robots under stochastic uncertainty: robust feedback control

The most important aspect in the optimal control and design of manipulators is the determination of the basic movement, i.e. the calculation of the optimal trajectory on which the robot has to move. Having an optimal reference trajectory and an optimal open-loop control, there is the need of control corrections by applying a certain feedback control. Different attempts exist for this. In this article a method will be shown which is based on classical control theory, that works with cost functions being minimized. The aim is to take into account stochastic parameter variations in order to obtain robust optimal feedback controls. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)