Ming-Feng Ge

Ming-Feng Ge, Zhi-Hong Guan, Bin Hu et al.

This paper investigates the target tracking problem for networked robotic systems (NRSs) under sampled interaction. The target is assumed to be time-varying and described by a second-order oscillator. Two novel distributed controller-estimator algorithms (DCEA), which consist of both continuous and discontinuous signals, are presented. Based on the properties of small-value norms and Lyapunov stability theory, the conditions on the interaction topology, the sampling period, and the other control parameters are given such that the practical stability of the tracking error is achieved and the stability region is regulated quantitatively. The advantages of the presented DCEA are illustrated by comparisons with each other and the existing coordination algorithms. Simulation examples are given to demonstrate the theoretical results.

Ming-Feng Ge, Zhi-Hong Guan, Chao Yang et al.

Comparing with traditional fixed formation for a group of dynamical systems, time-varying formation can produce the following benefits: i) covering the greater part of complex environments; ii) collision avoidance. This paper studies the time-varying formation tracking for multiple manipulator systems (MMSs) under fixed and switching directed graphs with a dynamic leader, whose acceleration cannot change too fast. An explicit mathematical formulation of time-varying formation is developed based on the related practical applications. A class of extended inverse dynamics control algorithms combining with distributed sliding-mode estimators are developed to address the aforementioned problem. By invoking finite-time stability arguments, several novel criteria (including sufficient criteria, necessary and sufficient criteria) for global finite-time stability of MMSs are established. Finally, numerical experiments are presented to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Ming-Feng Ge, Zhi-Hong Guan, Chao Yang et al.

This paper studies the task-space coordinated tracking of a time-varying leader for multiple heterogeneous manipulators (MHMs), containing redundant manipulators and nonredundant ones. Different from the traditional coordinated control, distributed controller-estimator algorithms (DCEA), which consist of local algorithms and networked algorithms, are developed for MHMs with parametric uncertainties and input disturbances. By invoking differential inclusions, nonsmooth analysis, and input-to-state stability, some conditions (including sufficient conditions, necessary and sufficient conditions) on the asymptotic stability of the task-space tracking errors and the subtask errors are developed. Simulation results are given to show the effectiveness of the presented DCEA.