Reexamination of the DCAL controller for rigid link robots

Summary In this paper, we present two DCAL-like (Desired Compensation Adaptation Law) controllers for link position tracking of n-link, rigid, revolute robot manipulators. First, we use a simplified stability analysis to illustrate global asymptotic link position-velocity tracking for a DCAL-like controller withnonlinearfeedback. The proof is simplified by employing a different structure for the nonlinear feedback than that originally proposed and by making use of thenonlineardamping control design tool. We then use thenonlinear dampingtool to show that a DCAL-like controller withlinearfeedback can guarantee semi-global asymptotic link position-velocity tracking. The proposed nonlinear and linear feedback DCAL-like controllers are experimetally tested and compared using the Integrated Motion Inc. 2-link direct drive robot manipulator.