Adaptive fast terminal sliding mode control of robotic manipulators based on joint torque estimation and friction compensation

Abstract In this work, an adaptive fast terminal sliding mode control (AFSMC) approach based on joint torque estimation and friction compensation is proposed to enhance the trajectory tracking accuracy of robotic manipulators under variable load conditions. The joint torque estimation utilizes an improved harmonic drive compliance model and adaptive low‐pass filtering, and friction compensation employs a hybrid model accounting for velocity and load torque effects. These compensations reduce the upper bound of the uncertainty, while AFSMC further reduces dependency on upper uncertainty bounds and minimizes the chattering. The stability analysis using the Lyapunov method confirms the effectiveness of this approach. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed controller achieves smaller root mean square and maximum error of trajectory tracking, thus significantly improving trajectory tracking accuracy under variable load conditions.