An adaptive control law for robotic manipulator without velocity feedback

In this paper, a new adaptive control law is designed for robotic manipulators, based on the use of reference velocities instead of the actual ones and feedback signals generated from position errors. The law in question is suitable for trajectory tracking and positioning tasks. Its peculiarities are implementation without velocity measurements and estimation, high signal-to-noise ratio in control torques and absence of parameter drift in positioning tasks. Experimental tests are shown with the aim to confirm the validity of the control law and to illustrate its actual effects on the behaviour of the system.