Motion Control Strategies based on PD Control for a Four Degree-of-Freedom Serial Robotic Manipulator to Mimic Human Index Finger Articulations

The present study is based on motion control of an articulated model of a human index finger that has been modeled as a four-degree-of-freedom serial robotic manipulator. Preliminary studies on position and tracking control have been carried out by testing various control strategies based on proportional-derivative (PD) control in a simulation environment wherein the manipulator has been modeled and simulated with a certain input signal and responses to various controllers have been shown. Model free and model based controllers have been designed simulated using MATLAB®/ Simulink®. Strategies like model free PD control have been improved upon by introducing auto-tuning and learning capabilities. A virtual plant modeled using Simmechanics® toolbox has been set up and used for simulation purposes.