Fault-tolerant dynamic control for underactuated manipulators

The control of an underactuated serial-link manipulator can be achieved by using the coupling effects between links. The control goal is to move the end-effector from a given initial pose to a specified final pose. The proposed controller is designed based on a reduced-order model. The control scheme first moves the actuated joints to the desired positions. The desired end-effector pose is then achieved using an open loop optimal control that minimizes a penalty function; this control influences the unactuated joint via the coupling effects.