The notion of general backlash is introduced where instead of the straight lines determining the upward and downward parts of backlash characteristic general curves are considered. An analytic form of general backlash characteristic description is proposed, which is based on appropriate switching and internal functions. Consequently, this multi-valued mapping is represented by one difference eq...

A robust feedback control is designed for mechanisms with backlash, where regulation problem is solved under the presence of external perturbation. Appealing the static deadzone model as a model for backlash, the nonlinear problem is posted in linear HH∞ framework. Experimental realization in an industrial emulator with backlash is carried out, evidencing an acceptable performance. Keywords– Ba...

This thesis presents the findings of exploratory research in low-cost compliant robotics. The most heavily leveraged trade-off is that of mechanical precision for computational power, with the hope that the price of future computation will continue to fall exponentially while the expected price of precision mechanical parts will remain relatively constant. The most novel contribution of this re...

Tendon sheath actuation is found in many applications, particularly in robotic hands and surgical robots. Due to the friction between the tendon and sheath, many undesirable characteristic such as backlash, hysteresis and non-linearity are present. It is desirable to know the end-effector force and elongation of the tendon to control the system effectively, but it is not always feasible to fix ...

We study the problem of semiglobally stabilizing an uncertain nonlinear system consisting of a linear nominal system perturbed by either nonlinearities or model uncertainties. Our approach relies on well-known linear control tools and allows one to recover and improve, in the unifying framework of a semiglobal separation result, existing results on the semiglobal stabilization via output feedba...

Two different adaptive controllers for systems with backlash acting on the input are discussed; one in continuous time and one in discrete time. Both schemes are based on a backlash inverse and a linear controller. The unknown plant parameters and the backlash width are estimated. The estimated parameters are used for pole placement design of the controller and for backlash compensation in the ...

conjugated polymer actuators can be employed to achieve micro and nano scale precision, and have a wide range of applications including biomimetic robots, and biomedical devices. in comparison to robotic joints, they do not have friction or backlash, but on the other hand, they have complicated electro-chemo-mechanical dynamics which makes modelling and control of the actuator really difficult....

The mechanism and geometry of force measurement with the atomic force microscope are analyzed in detail. The effective spring constant to be used in force measurement is given in terms of the cantilever spring constant. Particular attention is paid to possible dynamic effects. Theoretical calculations show that inertial effects may be neglected in most regimes, the exception being when relative...

Signs of a managed care backlash in California are increasing. This paper reports and interprets the recently completed work of the California Managed Health Care Improvement Task Force, focusing on the managed care backlash and the state's regulatory response. Although cost containment was a contributing factor, the causes of and solutions to the backlash differ among consumers, physicians, he...