Adaptive sliding mode control with linear matrix inequality based on a DEAP flexible actuator

Abstract

To address the problem of an actuated system based on the Dielectric Electro-active Polymer (DEAP) material with strong hysteresis, the nonlinearity and uncertainty, this paper proposes a linear matrix inequality (LMI) algorithm to design an adaptive sliding mode controller for DEAP flexible actuators. For this method, an inverse compensation operator of a Prandtl-Ishlinskii (P-I) model is applied to mitigate the hysteresis effect of DEAP materials. Then, the LMI algorithm is utilized to optimize the sliding mode surface and combined with a general adaptive sliding mode control for designing a DEAP system controller. A comparison of the simulation results indicates that the control method makes the system have better adaptability (or tracking reference) and stronger global robustness, can overcome the uncertainty disturbance of the external environment, and the chattering phenomenon of the system has been effectively eliminated at the same time.