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Synthesis of a Robust Dynamic Controller for

the Stabilization of a Biped Robots Walking
Article in Sylwan March 2015
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Mongi Besbes

University of Carthage

Ecole Suprieure de Technologie et d'Infor

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Synthesis of a Robust Dynamic Controller

for the Stabilization of a Biped Robots
Walking
Mohamed Adel Sellami
Laboratory of Analysis, Conception and Control of Systems,
Faculty of sciences of Tunis
University of El Manar, Tunisia

Imen Dakhli, Elyes Maherzi and Mongi Besbes

Unity of Mechatronic systems and signals
High School of Technology and Computer Science
University of Carthage, Tunisia

AbstractThis work aims to design an optimal dynamic controller to stabilize the walk of a
biped robot even in the presence of input and output constraints. In a first time, the robots
trajectory is generated via the Zero Moment Point criterion based on the resolution of a convex
optimization problem with Linear Matrix Inequalities. In a second time, the tracking of a
reference trajectory is insured by the design of an optimal dynamic controller based on the
predictive control theory. The synthesized dynamic controller allows for the Lyapunov stability
of the robots walk. Moreover, it ensures the reducing of the overshoot and undershoot of the
output signal that are difficult to be adjusted by classical methods based on solving the algebraic
Riccati equation. This study is validated by a simulation via Matlab of some illustrative
examples. Results are presented to prove the effectiveness of the proposed work.
KeywordsOptimal dynamic controller ; Biped robot walk ; Zero moment point ; Linear matrix
inequalities ; Predictive Control theory ; Discrete-time algebraic Riccati equation

INTRODUCTION
Research on mobile robots during the last three decades has a huge progress. Several
studies have been carried out to control the robots walk. In this context, roboticists have
developed a wide range of approaches and methods which mainly ZMP criterion.
I.

This concept serves to the control of legged locomotion in order to conserve the vertical
equilibrium position for robots while displacement. Respecting the ZMP constraint is
inherently challenging due to the difficulties in the control of robots walking.
Literature has illustrated several modeling methods of the robots walk. In particular, [9]
proposes a modeling strategy based on the predictive control theory in order to calculate the
trajectory of the center of mass position.
Other researchers were concerned with modeling robots as switched system. It is estimated
that the calculation of state feedback gains of the controller needs the use of polyquadratic
lyapunov function [1, 2, 12].
In order to achieve asymptotic stability of walk, other researchers like [15] propose a
control strategy for regulating the ZMP position and joint configuration of a fully actuated. So
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the first notion to approach is to generate a stable gait. We must use results in real world
application which led many researchers to look for more realistic and advanced solution.
In this context, concepts stemming from control theory are essential. We mention a
promising approach that uses an optimal controller based on solving the algebraic Riccati
equation. Unfortunately this approach first, introduced by [7] excludes constraints that affect
bipedal walking performance.
In this paper, we propose a new approach to synthesize a dynamic controller for biped
robots by using ZMP criterion and predictive control theory. This method allows the inclusion
of constraints on system variables (Input /output). By using invariant ellipsoid concept, these
ones are introduced by LMIs formulation. This approach is so beneficial that it allows the
access into the dynamics of the system and the adjustment of overshoot and undershoot.
INVERTED PENDULUM MODEL
The biped robot has been considered in [7] as an inverted pendulum in order to simplify his
modelling. So, we consider the simplified model of inverted pendulum in sagitall plane
proposed by [7] in Fig. 1.
II.

CoG

Inverted
Pendulum

yZMP

ZMP

xZMP
polygon above
temptation

Fig. 1.

: Inverted pendulum model.

The considered system is defined by the following parameters:

m: The mass of the robot
g: Earth's acceleration
x, y, z: Position of the gravity center
By neglecting the inertial effects, the ZMP position corresponds to (1).

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 x
zc

px 1 0 x
g

(1)

CoG is the center of gravity and zc is the constant height of the CoG above the ground.
zc is given by (2).
zc

z pz

(2)

Throughout this study, ZMP position is assumed to be fixed in order to simplify the modeling.
Similarly, a new control law proposed by [7] is given in (3).
u
x

(3)

This variable was used principally to get one of the simplest approach to modeling humanoid
robots as follows. So, the development with respect to Taylor formula is given by (4), T is the
sampling period.

T2
T3
x k .
x k . 0 T3
x k 1 x k x k .T
2
6

T
x k 1 x k
x k .T
x k . 0 T2

x k 1 x k x k .T 0 T

(4)

By applying the control input (3) in (4) we obtain (5).

T2
T3
x k . u k . 0 T3
x k 1 x k x k .T
2
6

T
x k 1 x k
x k .T u k . 0 T 2

x k 1 x k u k .T 0 T

(5)

The discretized system can be represented by the state representation (6).

X k 1 A.X k B.U k

P k C.X k

Where

x k

X k = x k ,

x k

U k =u k ,

(6)

P k =x ZMP k

In this work, only the measured output are used to design the controller.

1 T

A= 0 1
0 0

[SYLWAN., 159(3)]. ISI Indexed

T3
T2
6
2
2

T
T , B= , C= 1 0
2

1
T

-z c
g

553

Where x(k) n is the state vector, u(k) m is the control vector, and P(k) l is the output
vector. An*n is the dynamic matrix, Bn*m and Cl*n are the matrices of the control and
output.
PREDICTIVE CONTROL MODEL
The predictive control theory has been applied in [7] to hold the center of gravity trajectory
with reference to the Katayama work [8].
III.

The optimal controller with state feedback was introduced in [8], provides calculation of the
center of gravity trajectory depending on ZMP reference trajectory. So, the desired output
position must be a vector.
We assume that there exists a constant vector Pd where: lim
P(k ) Pd
k
It is assumed too that the proposed vector must be defined for the future values N L for each
step of time K.
Then: Pd K i Pd K N L ,i N L 1,...,
We want to design a controller which the closed loop system is asymptotically stable and its
transient response is acceptable.
In order to satisfy these requirements, [8] propose an optimal controller U0(k) minimizing the
criterion (7).

2
T
2
J Qe .E i X i .Qx .X i R.U i

ik

(7)

Where
E i P i Pref i ,
X i X i X i 1 , U i U i U i 1

Qe 0, R 0, Qx 33 symetric non-negative matrix

The optimal controller U0(k) is given by (8).

k

NL

i 0

U0 k G I E i G X .X k G d .PREF k

(8)

Where
T .K.B
1 .B
T .K.I,
G R B
T .K.B
1 .B
T .K.F,

G I R B
X

T .K.B
1 .B
T .X
1 2,...., N
G d 1 G I ,G d R B
L

And
T .K.I,
T .X
1 A
X
A
1
X
c
c

2,...., N L

A
B.
R B
T .K.B
.B
T .K.A

A
c

C.B ,
B
B

1

I= 0 ,
0

0

[SYLWAN., 159(3)]. ISI Indexed

C.A , A

F=
A I F ,

Qe

0
Q=
0

0 0 0

Qx

554

K is the solution of the algebraic Riccati equation defined non-negative (9).

T .K.A
T .K.B.

A
A
R B
T .K.B
1 .B
T .K.A
Q
K

(9)

The next step is solving Riccati equation thus, the results obtained from different tests is
shown in Fig. 2, Fig.3, Fig.4 and Fig.5.

Output position [m]

0.16
0.14

for R=10-15 and Q=10-2*eye(4)

0.12

reference trajectory

0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
-0.02
-0.04

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Discrete time [sample period=10 3.sec]

Fig. 2. Trajectories of the CoG for different values of R and Q for R=10-15 and Q=10-2*eye(4)
0.18
-

reference trajectory

0.14

Output position [m]

for R=10 2 and Q=10 2*eye(4)

0.16

0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
-0.02

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Discrete time [sample period=10 3.sec]

Fig. 3. Trajectories of the CoG for different values of R and Q for R=10-2 and Q=10-2*eye(4)

[SYLWAN., 159(3)]. ISI Indexed

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0.14

for R=1and Q=10 2*eye(4)

reference trajectory

0.12

Output position [m]

0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
-0.02

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Discrete time [sample period=10 3.sec]

Fig. 4. Trajectories of the CoG for different values of R and Q for R=1 and Q=10-2*eye(4)
0.18

for R=1and Q=eye(4)

reference trajectory

0.16

Output position [m]

0.14
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
-0.02

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Discrete time [sample period=10 3.sec]

Fig. 5. Trajectories of the CoG for different values of R and Q for R=1 and Q=eye(4)

Table 1 shows the variation in the dynamics of the system for different values of R and
Q deduced from Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5..
TABLE I.

THE VARIATION OF UNDERSHOOT AND OVERSHOOT FOR

R
Q
Undershoot
Overshoot

[SYLWAN., 159(3)]. ISI Indexed

10-15
10-2.I
23%
57.55%

1
10-2.I
0
36.48%

DIFFERENT VALUES OF R AND Q

1
I
5.5%
62.4%

556

We observe from Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 that changing the values of matrix R and Q,
affect systems dynamics. We notice the existence of both undershoot and overshoot which
can be commonly increased or/and decreased slightly vis-a-vis the tests made. We emphasize
through these tests that the variation of R and Q has a remarkable influence on the dynamics
of the system. So, we demonstrate that system behaviors can be probed and understood throw
the different variation of R and Q.
Thus, in [7], Kajitas controller with a single gain allow us to change slightly systems
dynamic however, constraints arent taken into consideration in this study which represents a
conservative approach.
In order to overcome this limitation, we design a new controller on the bases of on prediction
over an infinite horizon and LMI formulation of the optimization problem.
USE OF A DYNAMIC CONTROLLER
Let's consider the system described by (6). This system must satisfy the following
condition that the (A,B) pair of matrices are controllable and the (A,C) pair of matrices are
observable.
IV.

We propose a control law stabilizing the system described by (6) at each instant k by using a
dynamic controller based on output feedback in order to minimize a coast function under
constraints [14, 16]. The dynamic controller is given by (10).

x c k 1 Ac .x c k Bc . Pref k .N P k

u k Cc .x c k

(10)

N is the static gain of the system, xc(k) is the state vector controller, matrices A3*3,
B3*1and C1*3 define the dynamic controller.
Fig. 6 describes the synoptic graph of the system with the dynamic controller.
The static gain N calculated is given by (11).
I C. I A 1 .B.C . I A 1 .B 1 .

c
c
c

1
1
C. I A .B.Cc . I A c .Bc

(11)

Optimizer

xc k 1 Ac .xc k Bc . Pref k .N P k

Pref (k)
N

u k Cc .xc k

Dynamic controller

x k 1 A.x k B.u k

P(k)

P k C.x k

System

Fig. 6. : The system controlled by a robust dynamic controller.

Yet to simplify the synthesis of the dynamic Controller, the closed loop system formed by (6)
and (10) might be viewed as an extended system given by (12).

[SYLWAN., 159(3)]. ISI Indexed

557

x e k 1 A(k).x e k B(k).u(k)

u k K(k).x e k

P(k) C(k).x e k

(12)

Where:
x(k)
xe k

x c (k)

is the state vector.

A
0
B
6x6
6x1
k
A
B (k).C A (k) , B k 0 ,

c
c

k C 0 1x6 , K
k 0 C (k) 1x6
C
c

Let's consider a coast function of quadratic infinite horizon that weights the value of the
control efforts and system states.
This function can be expressed by (13).

x e k i / k T .Q.x e k i / k

J (k)
T
i 0 u k i / k .R.u k i / k

(13)

Q 0
3x3
1 x1
Where Q
, Q 0, R
0
0

And xe(k+i/k) is the expectation value of the state at time k+i, knowing the state xe(k/k)=
xe(k).
Let's consider the quadratic function given by (14).

VL x e (k / k) x e (k / k)T .p.x e (k / k),

p>0

(14)

Where p=p(k/k) is constant and VL(0)=0

This function must satisfy the inequality given by (15).
VL x e (k i / k) VL x e (k i 1/ k) VL x e (k i / k)

x e k i / k T .Q.x e k i / k

u k i / k T .R.u k i / k

(15)

Equation (15) represents the upper born of the coast function (13) when the condition (16) is
satisfied.
J k VL x e (k / k)
(16)
We aim to design the dynamic controller based on output feedback by minimizing (15) under
the condition (16).
Design of the robust dynamic controller
Let's consider that X(k) = X(k/k) the state value of the system (6) and xc(k) = xc(k/k) the
state value of controller (10) at each instant k. vectors umax and Pmax are known.
A.

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558

The discrete system described by (6) is asymptotically stabilized by the dynamic controller
(10) with output feedback, minimizing an upper born if the coast function under constraints is
existing at each sampling time.
The matrices F3*1, L1*3, Z3*3 and the symmetric positive definite matrices X,
Y3*3 are the solutions of the following optimization problem (18, 21), as in [5, 16, 14].
min

(17)

Under
Y

T
YA FC

ZT

YA FC

AX BL

AT

LT R 2

AX BL

1
2

1
2

R L
1
2

Q X

I
0

0
Y I
I X
T
L

0
2
0 L U max I
T T
I
A C
Y

T T
T T T
X
XA C L B C 0
I
2
CA CAX CBL

Pmax I

0
0

2
Q
1
0
XQ 2

(18)

(19)

(20)

Matrices X, Y, L, F and Z solutions of the optimization problem (35) allow the determination
of matrices Ac, Bc and Cc of the dynamic controller.
B. Constraints on the input and the output

We take into account constraints on the input and on the output as LMI in the optimization
problem. For a dynamic system, an invariant ellipsoid is a subset of the state space which
satisfies the following property: It contains the system state for instants if it contains the
system state in a certain time [3, 16]. We consider an ellipsoid described, by (22) as in [11], to
add the constraints on the control variables and on the output:
z / z T P1 z

11 z 1 with P
11 1P
z / zT P
1

(22)

Considering the constraint type on the input is Euclidean norm:

u(k i / k ) 2 umax , i 0

[SYLWAN., 159(3)]. ISI Indexed

(23)

559

2
(k ) x (k i / k )
max i 0 u(k i / k ) max i 0 K
e
2

2
2

(k ) z ) P

max z K
max 1 . K ( k ). K ( k ). P1
2

1
2

1
2

(24)

The previous inequality is expressed as LMI:

2
If u(k i / k ) u 2max , i 0 then:
2

P
1

(k ) P
1
K

T (k )
1.K
P
0
u 2 max I

(25)

Considering the constraint type on the output is Euclidean norm:

P(k i / k ) 2 Pmax , i 0

A BK
(k ) z )
max z C

(26)
2
2

1
T

T C
. A BK
(k ) .P
12
max P
C
1 . A BK ( k )

1
2

(27)

The previous inequality is expressed as LMI:

2
If P(k i / k ) P2max , i 1 then:
2

P
1

C A BK (k ) P1

(k ) C
T
A BK
P
1
0

2
Pmax . I

(28)

C. Construction of the dynamic controller

Toward that end, to design the dynamic controller, we consider the LMI formulation of the
constraints on the bases of the invariant ellipsoid technique.
The solution of the optimization problem are the matrices X, Y, L, F, Z .
After obtaining the solutions of different systems mentioned above, the construction of the
robust dynamic controller can be obtained by calculating the matrices (A c, Bc and Cc). We can
calculate the controller following the procedure developed in [7]. The input/output
representation of dynamic controller are given by (29).
Ac (1 YX ) 1 M

1
Bc (1 YX ) F

Cc L

(29)

RESULTS
The trajectory of the center of gravity depending on reference trajectory is the solution of
the matrices inequalities constituting the optimization problem under the LMIs formulation of
constraints.
V.

The desired trajectory obtained for different values of R and Q is shown in Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig.
9 and Fig. 10.

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0.18
-

for R=10 15 and Q=10 2*eye(3)

0.16

reference trajectory

Output position [m]

0.14
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
-0.02

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Discrete time [sample period=10 3.sec]

Figure 7. The evolution of output position x for different values of R and Q for R=10-15 and Q=10-2*eye(3)

0.2
-

for R=10 2 and Q=10 2*eye(3)

reference trajectory

Output position [m]

0.15

0.1

0.05

-0.05

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Discrete time [sample period=10 3.sec]

Figure 8. The evolution of output position x for different values of R and Q for R=10-2 and Q=10-2*eye(3)

[SYLWAN., 159(3)]. ISI Indexed

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0.2
-

for R=1 and Q=10 2*eye(3)

reference trajectory

Output position [m]

0.15

0.1

0.05

-0.05

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Discrete time [sample period=10 3.sec]

Figure 9. The evolution of output position x for different values of R and Q for R=1 and Q=10-2*eye(3)

0.2

for R=1 and Q=eye(3)

reference trajectory

Output position [m]

0.15

0.1

0.05

-0.05

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Discrete time [sample period=10 3.sec]

Figure 10. The evolution of output position x for different values of R and Q for R=1 and Q=10-2*eye(3)

Table 2 shows the variation in the dynamics of the system for different values of R and Q
deduced from Fig. 4. under the following constraints :

The variation of the control is limited by

umax=0.5.
The swinging of the foot of the robot is limited by P max=0.1 meter.

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TABLE II.

THE VARIATION OF UNDERSHOOT AND OVERSHOOT FOR DIFFERENT VALUES OF R AND Q

R
10-15
Q
10-2.I
Undershoot
19%
Overshoot 79.21%

1
10-2.I
0
83.73%

1
I
5%
99%

For the following, different simulations were made for fixed values of R and Q such as:
R=1015 and Q=10-2.I. The choice of values of R and Q is due to the requirement to have the
minimum of overshoot contained in the centre of gravity trajectory.
We observe for the same values of R and Q that response times and overshoot represented by
Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10 and Fig.11 are higher than those given by Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4
and Fig. 5 and the undershoot are reduced slightly .This comparison show that even in the
presence of constraints our approach allows to change systems dynamic and enhances the
responses of system by reducing the undershoot and/or the overshoot.
In Fig. 5 the value of overshoot is equal to 31.4% of the final value and the trajectory does
not have an undershoot.
0,14

output position x
reference trajectory

0,12

Output position [m]

0,1
0,08
0,06
0,04
0,02
0
-0,02

200

400

600

800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

Discrete time [sample period=10-3.s]

2000

2200

2400

Fig. 11. : The evolution of output position x for R=1015 and Q=10-2.I.
Thus, we can confirm the effectiveness of the presented controller compared to the Kajitas
[9] approach which its limited whenever some possible accidents occurs in the experimental
setting such as sensors failures.The major contribution in this paper lies resides in the fact of
taking into consideration these accidents by introducing them into the optimization problem.
CONCLUSION
In this paper, we present the Kajitas method which consists in synthesizing of an optimal
controller based on the predictive control theory in order to stabilize the walk of a biped robot.
Thus, he resorted to the use of both ZMP notion and the solving of the algebric Riccati
equation demonstrated in the Katayamas work.
VI.

In this work, we propose a novel dynamic controller based on the predictive control low and
LMIs formulation.

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This method is satisfying and interesting with regard of the robots walk stabilization and
offers the possibility to vary the system dynamics taking into account the constraints on both
input and output process.
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