Underactuated Source Seeking by Surge Force Tuning: Theory and Boat Experiments

We extend source seeking algorithms, in the absence of position and velocity measurements, and with the tuning of the surge input, from velocity-actuated (unicycle) kinematic models to force-actuated generic Euler–Lagrange dynamic underactuated models. In the design and analysis, we employ a symmetric product approximation, averaging, passivity, and partial-state stability theory. The proposed control law requires only real-time measurement of the source signal at the current position of the vehicle and ensures semi-global practical uniform asymptotic stability (SPUAS) with respect to the linear motion coordinates for the closed-loop system. The performance of our source seeker with surge force tuning is illustrated with both numerical simulations and experiments of an underactuated boat.