A low cost, high-performance servo technology is proposed using natural tracking control algorithms to enhance the precision and robustness of telerobotic servicing robot systems. It is anticipated that natural tracking control will improve the performance of these robot systems by forcing the elementwise, exponential following of desired outputs to be controlled without the knowledge of the internal dynamics of the plant or of the external disturbances on the plant. The destabilizing effect of time delay inherent in telerobotic control will be minimized by the elimination of tracking errors. Path planning can be done with the assurance that the robots will faithfully follow the desired outputs. Phase I research will identify a MIMO nonlinear system to analyze, determine the baseline tracking performance, design (mathematically) a natural tracking controller for compensation of friction, backlash, and other nonlinear effects and sensor noise. Phase I will also develop guidelines for the implementation of natural tracking control in a generic controller module for Phase II implementation and testing. It is anticipated that the benefits from the development of this control algorithm and controller include their wide application to the control of commercial systems, including robotics, process controls, machine tools, rockets, and aircraft.The potential commercial applications include a natural tracking controller for robotics, process controls, machine tools, rockets and aircraft. The natural tracking control algorithms offer the potential for modular, programmable, and robust controllers to be implemented with current controller technology.
