Optimal adaptive barrier-function super-twisting nonlinear global sliding mode scheme for trajectory tracking of parallel robots.

Compared to serial robots, parallel robots have potential superiorities in rigidity, accuracy, and ability to carry heavy loads. On the other hand, the existence of complex dynamics and uncertainties makes the accurate control of parallel robots challenging. This work proposes an optimal adaptive barrier-function-based super-twisting sliding mode control scheme based on genetic algorithms and global nonlinear sliding surface for the trajectory tracking control of parallel robots with highly-complex dynamics in the presence of uncertainties and external disturbances. The globality of the proposed controller guarantees the elimination of the reaching phase and the existence of the sliding mode around the surface right from the initial instance. Moreover, the barrier-function based adaptation law removes the requirement to know the upper bounds of the external disturbances, thus making it more suitable for practical implementations. The performance and efficiency of the controller is assessed using simulation study of a Stewart manipulator and an experimental evaluation on a 5-bar parallel robot. The obtained results were further compared to that of a six-channel PID controller and an adaptive sliding mode control method. The obtained results confirmed the superior tracking performance and robustness of the proposed approach.

H∞-based control of multi-agent systems: Time-delayed signals, unknown leader states and switching graph topologies.

The paper investigates a leader-following scheme for nonlinear multi-agent systems (MASs). The network of agents involves time-delay, unknown leader's states, external perturbations, and switching graph topologies. Two distributed protocols including a consensus protocol and an observer are utilized to reconstruct the unavailable states of the leader in a network of agents. The H∞-based stability conditions for estimation and consensus problems are obtained in the framework of linear-matrix inequalities (LMIs) and the Lyapunov-Krasovskii approach. It is ensured that each agent achieves the leader-following agreement asymptotically. Moreover, the robustness of the control policy concerning a gain perturbation is guaranteed. Simulation results are performed to assess the suggested schemes. It is shown that the suggested approach gives a remarkable accuracy in the consensus problem and leader's states estimation in the presence of time-varying gain perturbations, time-delay, switching topology and disturbances. The H∞ and LMIs conditions are well satisfied and the error trajectories are well converged to the origin.

Complex dynamical behaviors of a novel exponential hyper-chaotic system and its application in fast synchronization and color image encryption.

This paper proposes a novel exponential hyper-chaotic system with complex dynamic behaviors. It also analyzes the chaotic attractor, bifurcation diagram, equilibrium points, Poincare map, Kaplan-Yorke dimension, and Lyapunov exponent behaviors. A fast terminal sliding mode control scheme is then designed to ensure the fast synchronization and stability of the new exponential hyper-chaotic system. Stability analysis was performed using the Lyapunov stability theory. One of the main features of the proposed controller is the finite time stability of the terminal sliding surface designed with high-order power function of error and derivative of error. The approach was implemented for image cryptosystem. Color image encryption was carried out to confirm the performance of the new hyper-chaotic system. For image encryption, the DNA encryption-based RGB algorithm was used. Performance assessment of the proposed approach confirmed the ability of the proposed hyper-chaotic system to increase the security of image encryption.

A composite feedback approach to stabilize nonholonomic systems with time varying time delays and nonlinear disturbances.

In this work, we propose a robust stabilizer for nonholonomic systems with time varying time delays and nonlinear disturbances. The proposed approach implements a composite nonlinear feedback structure in which a linear controller is designed to yield a fast response and a nonlinear feedback control law is considered to increase the system's damping ratio. This structure results in the simultaneous improvement of the steady-state accuracy and transient performance of time-delay nonholonomic systems. Asymptotic stability of the proposed feedback control approach is derived using a Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional aimed at reaching a compromise between system's transient performance and asymptotic stability. Simulation and analytical results are considered to highlight the robustness and superior performance of the proposed approach in controlling high-order-time-delay nonholonomic systems with nonlinear disturbances.

A frequency-domain approach to improve ANNs generalization quality via proper initialization.

The ability to train a network without memorizing the input/output data, thereby allowing a good predictive performance when applied to unseen data, is paramount in ANN applications. In this paper, we propose a frequency-domain approach to evaluate the network initialization in terms of quality of training, i.e., generalization capabilities. As an alternative to the conventional time-domain methods, the proposed approach eliminates the approximate nature of network validation using an excess of unseen data. The benefits of the proposed approach are demonstrated using two numerical examples, where two trained networks performed similarly on the training and the validation data sets, yet they revealed a significant difference in prediction accuracy when tested using a different data set. This observation is of utmost importance in modeling applications requiring a high degree of accuracy. The efficiency of the proposed approach is further demonstrated on a real-world problem, where unlike other initialization methods, a more conclusive assessment of generalization is achieved. On the practical front, subtle methodological and implementational facets are addressed to ensure reproducibility and pinpoint the limitations of the proposed approach.