Proceedings of the American Control Conference

Chicago, Illinois June 2000

A High'Gain Observer-Based P D Control for Robot

Manipulator
Jose Antonio Heredia and Wen Yu
Departamento de Control Automatico, CINVESTAV-IPN
A v . I P N 2508, A . P . 1 4 - 7 4 0 , M e x i c o D . F . , 0 7 3 6 0 , M e x i c o
e - m a i l : y u w ~ c t r l . c i n v e s t a v . m x , fax: + 5 2 5 - 7 4 7 - 7 0 8 9

Abstract

server's dynamic) and a slow subsystem (PD controller

and the robot's dynamic). We prove that observer error and tracking error are stable. Taking advantage
of the results in [12], we give a necessary condition of
the asymptotic stability for P D control. This condition corresponds to the minimum convergence speed of
high-gain observer.

In this paper, the popular P D control of robot manipulator is modified. A high-gain observer is proposed for
the estimation of the velocity. The main contributions
of this paper are: (1) By means of singular perturbation analysis, we prove that the closed-loop system is
asymptotic stable; (2) We solve the problem of how
faster the observer should be than the observer-based
control.

2 R o b o t D y n a m i c and Singularly P e r t u r b e d
System
The dynamics of a serial n - l i n k rigid robot manipulator can be written as [81

1 Introduction
It is well known that most of the industrial manipulators are equipped with the simplest PD control [8]. Various modifications and experimental tests of PD control
have been published. There exist one main weakness
in PD control: it requires the measurements of joint
positions and velocities [11]. The joint positions measurements can be obtained by means of encoders, which
gives very accurate measurements. The joint velocities
are usually measured by velocity tachometers, which
are expensive and often contaminated by noise [10].

M(q) q + C ( q , q ) q + G ( q ) + F q = T

where q E ! ~ denotes the links positions, qc ~ denotes the links velocity, M(q) E !}~,~xn is the inertia
matrix, C(q, q) C ~ x n is the centripetal and Coriolis
matrix, G(q) E !~ is the gravity vector, F C R nx~ is
a positive definite diagonal matrix of frictional terms
(Coulomb friction), and 7- E !}~'~ is the input control
vector.

One possible solution is to implement a velocity observer. Many papers have been published devoted to
the theory and implementation of velocity observers
for manipulators. Two kinds of observers may be used:
model-based observer and model- free observer. The
model-based observer assumes that the dynanfics of the
robot is complete known or partial known. If the inertia matrix of the robotic's dynamic is known, sliding
model observer [2] and adaptive observer [3] were proposed. Passivity-based observer was developed in [1].
The model-free observer means that no exact knowledge of robot dynamics is required. Most popular used
observers are the high-gain observers, which can estimated the derivative of the output [4].

A nonlinear system is said to be singularly perturbed

if it has the following form:

x= f(x, z),

z= g(x, z,

(2)

where x E R n, z E R m, ~ > 0 is a
parameter. It is assumed that (2) has
tion with a unique equilibrium point
Since the second equation of (2) can

small constant
a unique solu(x, z) = (0, 0).
be written as:

z = g(~,z,,),
its velocity is very fast when E ~ 0. MakE
i n g e = 0 i n (2)
:~= f ( x , z ) ,

0 =

g(x,z,O)

(3)

It is assumed that (3) has a unique root z = (x), and

it is said that (2) is in the standard form. Then it is
possible to express the slow subsystem as:

In this paper, we use singular perturbation method to

analyze the P D control with high-gain observer [4], [13].
The closed-loop system may be divided into two separated sub-systems: a fast subsystem (high-gain ob0-7803-5519-9100 $10.00 2000 AACC

(1)

x= f(x, (x))
2518

(4)

The fast subsystem is:

whereE::[z~,z~l T,A::

dz
d-~ = g(x, z(r), 0)

-Hv

'B:=

E0]
I

"

Let us propose the following PD-like controller

(5)

where T = t and x is treated as a fixed unknown

parameter. The slow subsystem is called the quasisteady-state system and the fast subsystem is called
the boundary-layer system.

U = M(Xl)

where x~d E !}~ is the desired position, x~d is the

desired velocity, and Kp, Kd e R n~'~ are constant
positive matrices.
In this paper, we assume that
the desired trajectory and it's first two derivatives
are bounded. The compensation terms in (12) are
d

M ( x l ) x2 + C ( x l , 2 ) x ~ + F222 + G(xl).
R e m a r k 1 If the joint velocities are measurable, this

3 A n O b s e r v e r - B a s e d P D Control.

PD controller is also suitable. We only need to change

~2 to x2. The next theorem shows that the PD control,
with velocity measurements, can make the closed-loop
system asymptotic stable.

The motion equations of the serial n - l i n k rigid robot

manipulator (1) can be rewritten in the state space
form [4]:

x2=f(Xl'X2)-'I-g(Xl)U

(12)

+Y~2 + a ( x , ) - K , ( x , - Xl~) - K.(~2 - x~)

T h e o r e m 1 If the previous two assumptions are satis.fled .for (2), then the solutions of (~) and (5) approach
the solutions of (2) in an interval [t0, T] and [tl,T],
respectively, where 0 _< to < tl < T.

X l = X2'

x2 +C(Xl,X2)x2d

Let define the tracking error as

(6)

y=xl
where xl = q E !}~ is the vector of joint positions,
x2 =qE ~ is the vector of joint velocities, y E !~n is
the measurable position vector.

From (6) and (12) the tracking error equation can be

formed as:

f(xl,X2) = M ( x l ) - l [ - C ( x l , x2)x2 - a ( x l ) - Fx2]

g(xl) = M ( X l ) - l u

51~_2i 1 -- X 1 = 5 2

(r)

~2= ~ H v ( y -

x l = 52
52= H(51,52, Xl", x~, ~2)

8 ~ 1 = ~2 - g p z l

define the observer error as xl :-- Xl - x l , x2 := x 2 - ~ 2 .

From (6) and (8) the dynamic of observer error can be
formed as:

The closed-loop is the combination of (6), (12) and (8),

i.e., tracking error and observer error can be written in
the form:

(9)

Y2= -~Hv~l + f(x,, x~) + g(xl)u

x~=52,

If we define a new pair of variables g~ := 71, 72 := ex2.

(9) can be rewritten as:

52= H

(14)

with the equilibrium point (51,52, zl, z2) = (0, 0, 0, 0).

Clearly (14) has the singularly perturbed form (2).
Making e = 0, 0 = ~2 - Hp~l and 0 = - H v ~ l imply
that

(10)

~2 = - H v ~ l + e 2 If(x1, x2) + g(xl)u]

or in matrix form:

~= A ~ + ~2B [f(xl, x2) + g(xl)u]

(13)

where H = M -1 [-F22 - Kp51 + Kdx2 - Kd52 - C22 C52]. Now, it is possible to include the control (12) into
(10), to get

-Hp-Hv 0 I ] i s a H u r w i t z m a t r i x ' L e t

zl = z2 -- gp~l

.d

(S)

~)

xl = x2 - ~ Hpxl

.d

which becomes:

where 221 E ~ , x2 E !}~ denote the estimated values

of xl, x2 respectively; e is chosen as a small positive
parameter; and Hp, Hv are positive definite matrices
chsensuchthat[

2 = / ( X l , x2) + g(xl)u(x~, x~, ~2, x2, x2)- x2

The high-gain observer proposed in [4] is in following

form:

~1 =. x2 + }Hv(Y - Xl)

.d

(11)

2519

which has an equilibrium point (xl, xz) = (21,22). The

system (14) therefore is in the standard form. Substituting the equilibrium point into the first two equations
of (14), we obtain the quasi-steady-state model,
Xl=X2, ~ 2 = H ( ~ 1 , -Z2'Zl'ZZ'
d d 0)
= M - I [ - K p 5 i --Kd~2 - - Cx2]

The advantage of this approach is that the singularly

perturbed analysis may divide the original problem in
two systems: the slow subsystem or quasi-steady state
system and the fast subsystem or boundary layer system. Then both systems can be studied independently
with the boundary layer system faster enough compared with the slow subsystem. These two subsystems
explain why the dynamic of the high-gain observer is
faster than the dynamic of the robot and the PD control. If the slow subsystem is considered as static, the
high-gain observer in the fast time scale 7- can make
the estimated states (xl, x2) converge to the real states
(xl, x2). In the slow time scale t, the slow subsystem
composed by the robot and the PD control can use then
the estimated states (~,, x2).

(15)

On the other hand, the boundary layer system of (14)

is:
77,(~)

~2(~) - H , ? i ( ~ )

5~72(7)

-H,?l(7)

(16)

t (16) can be written as:

where 7 = ~.

?(r) = A?(7)

(17)
R e m a r k 2 From the point of the singular perturbation
analysis, one can see that high-gain observer (8) has a
.faster dynamic than the robot (6) and the PD control
(12). Under the assumption o fe = O, the observer error
and the tracking error of PD control are asymptotic
stable if the joint velocities are measurable.

where ?(~-) = [~r(W),z~(T)] w and A is d e f i n e d a s in

(11). The following theorem will show the stability
properties of the equilibrium points (xl,x2) = (0,0)
and (71,72) = (0, 0) for (15) and (17), respectively.
T h e o r e m 2 The equilibrium point (~1,x2) = (0,0) o.f
(15) and the equilibrium point (71, ?2) = (0, 0) of (17)
are asymptotic stable.

Since it is impossible for the high-gain observer (8) to

have e = 0, it is necessary to find a positive value of
e for which the stability properties are valid. For this
purpose we proposed a modified version of [12]. The
following theorem is an extend version of [12].

Proof."
For the first system, consider the following
candidate Lyapunov function
= !52TM~2 + - i S T K p ~ ,

V,(2,,2)

T h e o r e m 3 If there exist a continuous interval F =

(0, ~) such that .for all e E F satisfies:

(18)

with its derivative with respect to time and along (15),

(~

((1 - d)alK1) e + (1-d)~Z~

-- (1 -- d)doqct2 < 0
2

V~: ~ [-gp~, - K j ~ - C~] + ~ M ~ + ~ K ~

:

M -c]

< 0

o=-[M-'Kp]~,

which implies that 31

robot's dynamic). For
Hurwitz matrix, there
P such that
ATp

Proof:

Let us select Lyapunov function for (14) as

vc~(x, z) = (1 - d)V,(~l,~2) + dr2(?1, ;2)

= 0 (using property 2 of the

the second system, since A is a
exist a positive definite matrix

(20)

From theorem 2 we have

--T

Vc,=-(1-d)x

[ 0 Kd ] x
+(1 - d) [52TM(~z + xld) [H(e) - H(0)]]
_dz--'rQ?+ d [22Tpe2Bg(e)]

+ PA = -Q

where Q is a positive definite matrix.

candidate Lyapunov function

(19)

where oq, o~2, 13a, IK,, K2 are nonnegative constants,

0 < d < 1, g is the positive root of (19), then the origin
(~, z~ = (0, O) of (1~) is asymptotically stable

Applying Lasalle's theorem, the only solutions of (15)

evolving in the set f~v, = { (!21, 22)12.2 = 0} are

#,=o,

) e4 + ( ( 1 - d)dfllK2) e2+

Consider the

(21)

At this point we need to solve,

V2(71, ?2) = 7 P ?

[52TM(1 + x f ) [ H ( e )

V2= Ev ' A T p

- H(0)]]
r

with its derivative with respect to time and along (17),

= ~2v [ - P ~ 2 + Kd~2 - C~2] = ~ T !

PA) ~ = _frQ~ < 0

2520

L 0

0
-F+Kd-C
(22)

Notice t h a t this m a t r i x is b o u n d e d because F and Kd

are constant matrices and property 6 of the robot's
dynamic. Using the robot's d y n a m i c properties we can
concluded that:

0
-

-2M

+yrpd[

epsilon = 0.0558309

100

~ /

[2~Tp~2BH(e)]

200

-1 (F - Kd + C)

"z

-M-1Kp

- M -1 (Kd +C)

-100

(23)

-200

-300

Applying (22) and (23) to (21),

-400
-0.80

Vd-< - ( 1 - d)al~b2(~) + (1 - d)}fll(?2)(z~

- d [~a _ K1] 2(z~ + deK2(~)(z~
where

c~

Kx

P[0 0

K2

/31

[oo]

=
=

[ 00

,(z-) =

~2

(?-

-2M-:

IIQII,

Kd + C) ]

-t~1-1 (Kd + C)

T h e condition for ~ found in [12] is a simple formula depending on tile constants a l , a2, fil, K1,
K2 and not a more complex polynomial as in our

'

1'

case.

- F + 0Kd - C 1 '
=
II~tl,
can be written in a m a t r i x form

I1~11 (24)

as:
--

(z)

]TT

(1 - d)al
where T = [ -O-d)~'-EdK~

4 S i m u l a t i o n Results.

(z)]
_ (l-d)01

To develope the simulations, a two-link planar robot

manipulator is considered. It is assumed that each
link has its mass concentrated as a point at the end.
T h e manipulator is in vertical position, with gravity and friction. T h e robot parameters are: m l =
m2 = 1, l 1 = 1, 12 = 2. T h e two friction coefficients are 0.3, and gravity is 9.8. So the real ma[ 4cos(q2) + 6
2cos(q2) + 4 ]
trices of (1): M =
2cos(q2)+4
4
'

_ edNa

d [2e
~-K1] 2

]"

2e
2
Now, T has to be a positive definite matrix. And T
is positive definite if there exist a continuous interval
F = (0, ~) such t h a t for all e E F satisfies:

((1

0.15

F i g u r e 1: Polinomial of epsilon.

Ka

-M-1Kp

-0.40

(24)

+ ((1- d)d ,K2) e2+

d)alK1) e + 0 - d 2) ~ -- (1 -- d)dalct2 < 0

C
T h e n ~ will be the upper b o u n d of e.

[ - 4 c o s / 4\ ~2 ]) s i n ( q "2 ) "
- 2 cos [d2~ sin (q2)

2 q l s i n] ( q02 )

'

19.6 cos(q1 + q2) + 19.6 cos ql

F =
19.6cos(ql + q2)
'
0
0.3 '
q = [ql, q2]T. All d a t a are given with the appropriate
unities. T h e following P D coefficients are chosen:

3 Since (19) has 4 possible solutions, the theorem will be valid if there exist a positive real root of
(19) such that in the interval [0,7] (19) is negative. The
condition (I9) is only necessary.

Remark

=[31 o] d=[oo o]
0

45

'

80

Let us calculate the constants in Theorem3, cq =

T h e main differences between [12] and our paper are:

[00 KdOJ
We neglect assumption 3-a of the original theorem, because our Lyapunov function does not
d e p e n d on 5.

= 80, a2 = [,Qii = 45, K1 = 42.71 '

K2 = 84.3242,/31 = 80.0288. T h e n (19 / becomes:

f (e) = 3555.3d2e 4 + 6748.4(1 - d)de2+
6745.9(1 - d)e + 3202.3(1 - d) 2 - 3600(1 - d)d

In assumption 3-b of the original theorem, the

right side of the inequality does not d e p e n d on e.

(25)

W i t h d = 0.5 the
One can see t h a t
negative. So, ~ =
gain observer (8)

In assumption 3-c of the original theorem, the

t e r m which includes the constant K2 is multiplied
by e and not by e 2 as in the previous theorem.

2521

polynomial (25) is shown in Figure1.

for 0 < ~ < 0.0558309561787 (25) is
0.056, i. e., F = (0, 0.056). T h e highis d e t e r m i n e d as e = 0.003. Figure 2

shows the simulation results of the performance of the

high-gain observer when a perturbation at t = 3. The
perturbation is a 20% increment on the second link's
mass. This is intended to see the robustness of the
observer-based PD control. Figure 3 shows the tracking done by both links of the robot with the same perturbation at t = 3. Since the observer and controller
are independence of the from robot's dynamics, the influence of perturbations are very small.

10

link 1
. .~../v:-:.. !!.n.k...1...e.s.t.!~.a.t..ed.

:..............

-5

i
-10

5 Conclusions.

In this paper, singularly perturbation method is used

to prove the stability of PD control with [13]. Based
on [12], an upper bound of e is given. The asymptotic
stability of the equilibrium point of the closed-loop system is reached. The simulations show that the robot
can follow the desired trajectories accurately.

L link 2 e s t i m , t e d
4

F i g u r e 2: High-gain observer.

_~_L_._ link ::1

,~f~-_
link ::1 desired

References

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-5

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F i g u r e 3: PD control with high gain observer

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