This project addresses controller design for nonlinear electromagnetic levitation devices. These devices are used in a variety of applications including non-contact bearings, suspensions, and high speed position actuators. They are critical to the performance and efficiency of a broad class of systems including transportation and robotic systems. The dynamic equations of motion for these devices are highly nonlinear and the open loop system is inherently unstable. This project focuses on two problems comprising (1) the synthesis of nonadaptive continuous control laws for nonlinear electromagnetic levitation devices, and (2) the design of controllers for the case where some states must be estimated. It is expected that this research will provide more effective methods for controlling electromagnetic levitation devices which must operate at high speeds and have large air gap variations.
