Applications of variable structure system theory to mechanical systems

A new regulator design for mechanical systems using the theory of the variable structure system (VSS) is presented. A relevant problem in VSS control is the eigenvalues assignment for the equivalent motion; taking into acount the acceleration of the desired trajectory, an analytical solution for this problem is proposed. Parameter variations and external disturbances can be easily considered in the design method. For robotic applications, the method can be applied to a robot with an high number of links. The problem of chattering is solved by introducing a saturation function