Semiautonomous control of multiple networked Lagrangian systems

Abstract In this paper we study the problem of coordinating the positions of a group of Lagrangian systems with communication constraints exhibited through delays and limited data rates. We show that in a bidirectional connected communication graph structure, it is possible to design PD‐type control laws that render the overall nonnetworked system input‐to‐state stable. Then, we exploit the robustness property of these control laws along with a small‐gain condition on the allowable delays to infer the stability of the overall networked system. We illustrate how the obtained results can be specialized to handle the problem of position–position control for three networked 2DOF manipulators as well as teleoperation of robotic formations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.