Practical implementation of a neural network controller in a hard disk drive

This brief gives a practical account of the application of an improved adaptive neural network (NN) controller to the voice-coil-motor (VCM)-actuator of a hard disk drive (HDD). Necessary practical modifications are presented which allow the implementation of the controller for a VCM-actuator with high-frequency resonances. For resonance compensation, notch filter compensators are augmented while parameter estimation errors are counteracted by employing robust parameter estimation techniques. It is shown practically that this controller is a good candidate for a track seek/following controller in HDDs.