On the control of a novel manipulator with slewing and deployable links

Control of an elastic space platform-based flexible manipulator with four l inks, two free to slew while the other two permitted to deploy, is studied using two procedures: (i) nonlinear Feedback Linearization Technique (FLT) applied to rigid degrees of freedom with flexible generalized coordinates p assively regulated through coupling; (ii) rigid as well as flexible degrees of freedom controlled through FLT and Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), re spectively. Results suggest the FLT control to be quite effective even for flexible degrees of freedom. The combination of FLT and LQR further improve s the controller's performance. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.