Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 November 2002
In this paper a new robust adaptive control law for n-link robot manipulators with parametic uncertainties is derived using the Lyapunov theory thus guaranteed the stability of an uncertain system. The novelty of the adaptive robust control algorithm is that manipulator parameters and adaptive upper bounding functions are estimated to control the system properly, and the adaptive robust control law is also updated as an exponential function of manipulator kinematics, inertia parameters and tracking errors. The proposed adaptive control input includes a parameter estimation law as an adaptive controller and an additional control input vector as a robust controller. The developed approach has the advantages of both adaptive and robust control laws, without their discolour tags.