Simulation of Linear Quadratic Regulator Controls on a Nonlinear Robotics System

A linear modern control system design technique was employed on a nonlinear robotics system to determine the applicability of the linear design method to nonlinear systems. This paper examines the modeling of the robot dynamics for use in the control system design and for simulation of the robot's path tracking performance. The differential equation model development process is summarized and a discussion is presented of the manual and computer techniques employed to determine the model parameter values which most accurately represent the actual system. The simulated robot dynamics are compared with the actual response of the robot to the control system.