Trajectory Tracking for a Pelican Robot Using a Nonlinear Decoupling Control

This article presents a comprehensive study on applying a nonlinear decoupling PD-type control (Proportional-Derivative) to a two-degree-of-freedom manipulator robot characterized by complex nonlinearities in its dynamic model. The PD controller parameters are precisely tuned based on the Pelican robot’s dynamic model, which is treated as a second-order linear system to achieve a critically damped step response. Extensive simulations rigorously evaluate the performance of this nonlinear decoupling control, demonstrating its superior effectiveness and robustness in managing the robot’s intricate nonlinear behaviors. This research not only illustrates the practical implementation of nonlinear decoupling control for this specific robot model but also underscores its advantages over traditional linear control methods, especially in addressing complex and nonlinear system dynamics.