Controllability of mechanical systems with constraints and symmetries

Jorge Cortés, Sonia Martínez, James P. Ostrowski and Hong Zhang
15th International Symposium on Mathematical Theory of Networks and Systems, South Bend, Indiana, USA, 2002, electronic proceedings

Abstract:

We develop tools within the affine connection formalism for the control of underactuated mechanical systems evolving on a principal fiber bundle. We present reduced formulations of the Levi-Civita and the nonholonomic affine connections in the presence of symmetries and nonholonomic constraints. Specialized controllability tests are developed, and the notion of fiber configuration controllability is introduced. The results are illustrated in a planar blimp.

File: main.pdf

Bib-tex entry:

@InProceedings{JC-SM-JPO-HZ:02,
author = {J. Cort\'es and S. Mart{\'\i}nez and J.P. Ostrowski and H. Zhang},
booktitle = {15th International Symposium on Mathematical Theory of Networks and Systems},
title = {Controllability of mechanical systems with constraints and symmetries},
year = {2002},
address = {South Bend, Indiana}
}