This two-year award will support U.S.-France cooperative research in robotics and control theory between Mark Spong of the University of Illinois and Rogelio Lozano of the University of Compiegne. The objective of their research is to study adaptive control of underactuated mechanical systems. This class of systems is quite broad and encompasses both holonomic and nonholonomic systems such as balancing and walking robots, space robots, flexible link robots, and flexible joint robots. They will apply recently developed methods of integrator backstepping to underactuated systems. The U.S. investigator brings to this collaboration considerable expertise in robot dynamics and nonlinear control. This is complemented by the French investigator's experience in adaptive control theory and its application to the area of robotics. The proposal will further understanding of these systems and their potential for application in manufacturing.
