Trajectory Tracking Control for Actuator Arrays

Actuator arrays are planar arrangements of actuators with two degrees of freedom that cooperatively translate and orient objects for efficient manipulation. This brief describes a trajectory tracking control law for macroscopic actuator arrays and its convergence properties. The control law is designed on the basis of the kinematics of an object on the array. Its convergence properties are found using a direct solution of the Kalman-Yakubovich-Popov equations. Simulations show that the control law is effective and that the bounds are useful for objects under no-slip contact. Experimental results from a 20-unit prototype array demonstrate the controller performance.