Output tracking for actuator deficient/redundant systems

Presents an optimal-inversion-based approach to output tracking in linear, non-minimum phase systems with actuator redundancy or deficiency. For actuator-redundant systems, the methodology can be used to optimally allocate an output-tracking task between different actuators. For actuator-deficient systems, where exact tracking of all the output trajectories may not be possible, the methodology allows the optimal distribution of tracking efforts between different outputs. The methodology can also be used to achieve tradeoffs between output-tracking and other requirements such as avoiding actuator-saturations. The problem is posed as the minimization of a quadratic cost-functional and the solution is developed for linear systems. The technique is illustrated by applying it to output-tracking in a multiple-piezoactuator system, and experimental results are presented