Backstepping control in the physical domain

“Backstepping control in the physical domain” is proposed as a means of exploring controllerʹs intrinsic capability to alter the behavior of a physical system so that it emulates the behavior of another physical system. In most backstepping control applications, systems are expressed in sets of equations and mathematical control theory is applied. Such an approach frequently loses the physical aspect of system properties and control performance. In this paper, by using bond graphs to analyze the energy interaction among subsystems, systematic procedures are developed to characterize physical effects that can be readily emulated by the controller. The results presented facilitate separation of design issues from realization issues through high-level abstraction, and provide guidance in selecting appropriate physical characteristics for a given control task.