An adaptive tracking controller for parallel robotic manipulators based on fully tuned radial basic function networks

Parallel robotic manipulators have a complicated dynamic model due to the presence of multi-closedloop chains and singularities. Therefore, the control of them is a challenging and difficult task. In this paper, a novel adaptive tracking controller is proposed for parallel robotic manipulators based on fully tuned radial basis function networks (RBFNs). For developing the controller, a dynamic model of a general parallel manipulator is developed based on D'Alembert principle and principle of virtual work. RBFNs are utilized to adaptively compensate for the modeling uncertainties, frictional terms and external disturbances of the control system. The adaptation laws for the RBFNs are derived to adjust on-line the output weights and both the centers and variances of Gaussian functions. The stability of the closed-loop system is ensured by using the Lyapunov method. Finally, a simulation example is conducted for a 2 degree of freedom (DOF) parallel manipulator to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller. & 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.