Robust control for nonlinear time-varying systems with application to a robotic manipulator

Sliding mode control methods have been used widely because they provide robustness against parameter variations and disturbances. This paper focuses on the problem of a robust output-sliding control design for a class of nonlinear time-varying systems. Output signals are used for the switching function definition. The control law formulation is emphasized. Input and output linearization is used. Output tracking can be achieved against a class of time-varying parameter variations and external disturbances. An application to a two-degree-of-freedom manipulator indicates that the proposed switching control law drives the system state trajectories onto the chosen sliding mode in finite time and the output tracking is guaranteed.