A simple non-singular terminal sliding mode control for uncertain robot manipulators.

This article presents an improved robust tracking control for uncertain robot manipulators. An approximate terminal sliding mode control is proposed by integrating a terminal sliding surface with a novel nonlinear function. Lyapunov stability theory is employed to prove the global approximate finite-time stability ensuring that the tracking errors can globally converge to an arbitrary small ball centred at the origin within a finite time and thereafter arrive at the origin asymptotically. The benefits of this integrated design are that it can ensure fast transient and high steady-state tracking precision. Extensive simulations and experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and improved performance of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]