A comparison of vakonomic and nonholonomic dynamics with applications to non-invariant Chaplygin systems

We study relations between vakonomically and nonholonomically constrained Lagrangian dynamics for the same set of linear constraints. The basic idea is to compare both situations at the level of variational principles, not equations of motion as has been done so far. The method seems to be quite powerful and effective. In particular, it allows to derive, interpret and generalize many known results on non-Abelian Chaplygin systems. We apply it also to a class of systems on Lie groups with a left-invariant constraints distribution. Concrete examples of the unicycle in a potential field, the two-wheeled carriage and the generalized Heisenberg system are discussed.Comment: 42 pages, 4 figures, minor revision, submitted versio

A contact covariant approach to optimal control with applications to sub-Riemannian geometry

We discuss contact geometry naturally related with optimal control problems (and Pontryagin Maximum Principle). We explore and expand the observations of [Ohsawa, 2015], providing simple and elegant characterizations of normal and abnormal sub-Riemannian extremals.Comment: A small correction in the statement and proof of Thm 6.15. Watch our publication: https://youtu.be/V04N9X3NxYA and https://youtu.be/jghdRK2IaU

Nilpotentization of the kinematics of the n-trailer system at singular points and motion planning through the singular locus

We propose in this paper a constructive procedure that transforms locally, even at singular configurations, the kinematics of a car towing trailers into Kumpera-Ruiz normal form. This construction converts the nonholonomic motion planning problem into an algebraic problem (the resolution of a system of polynomial equations), which we illustrate by steering the two-trailer system in a neighborhood of singular configurations. We show also that the n-trailer system is a universal local model for all Goursat structures and that all Goursat structures are locally nilpotentizable.Comment: LaTeX2e, 23 pages, 4 figures, submitted to International journal of contro

Contact systems and corank one involutive subdistributions

We give necessary and sufficient geometric conditions for a distribution (or a Pfaffian system) to be locally equivalent to the canonical contact system on Jn(R,Rm), the space of n-jets of maps from R into Rm. We study the geometry of that class of systems, in particular, the existence of corank one involutive subdistributions. We also distinguish regular points, at which the system is equivalent to the canonical contact system, and singular points, at which we propose a new normal form that generalizes the canonical contact system on Jn(R,Rm) in a way analogous to that how Kumpera-Ruiz normal form generalizes the canonical contact system on Jn(R,R), which is also called Goursat normal form.Comment: LaTeX2e, 29 pages, submitted to Acta applicandae mathematica

Feedback Linearizability of Strict Feedforward Systems

For any strict feedforward system that is feedback linearizable we provide (following our earlier results) an algorithm, along with explicit transformations, that linearizes the system by change of coordinates and feedback in two steps: first, we bring the system to a newly introduced Nonlinear Brunovský canonical form (NBr) and then we go from (NBr) to a linear system. The whole linearization procedure includes diffeo-quadratures (differentiating, integrating, and composing functions) but not solving PDE’s. Application to feedback stabilization of strict feedforward systems is given

Smooth and Analytic Normal and Canonical Forms for Strict Feedforward Systems

Recently we proved that any smooth (resp. analytic) strict feedforward system can be brought into its normal form via a smooth (resp. analytic) feedback transformation. This will allow us to identify a subclass of strict feedforward systems, called systems in special strict feedforward form, shortly (SSFF), possessing a canonical form which is an analytic counterpart of the formal canonical form. For (SSFF)-systems, the step-by-step normalization procedure of Kang and Krener leads to smooth (resp. convergent analytic) normalizing feedback transformations. We illustrate the class of (SSFF)-systems by a model of an inverted pendulum on a cart

Strict Feedforward Form and Symmetries of Nonlinear Control Systems

We establish a relation between strict feedforward form and symmetries of nonlinear control systems. We prove that a system is feedback equivalent to the strict feedforward form if and only if it gives rise to a sequence of systems, such that each element of the sequence, firstly, possesses an infinitesimal symmetry and, secondly, it is the factor system of the preceding one, i.e., is reduced from the preceding one by its symmetry. We also propose a strict feedforward normal form and prove that a smooth strict feedforward system can be smoothly brought to that form

On Linearizability of Strict Feedforward Systems

In this paper we address the problem of linearizability of systems in strict feedforward form. We provide an algorithm, along with explicit transformations, that linearizes a system by change of coordinates when some easily checkable conditions are met. Those conditions turn out to be necessary and sufficient, that is, if one fails the system is not linearizable. We revisit type I and type II classes of linearizable strict feedforward systems provided by Krstic in [6] and illustrate our algorithm by various examples mostly taken from [5], [6]

Normal Forms, Canonical Forms, and Invariants of Single Input Nonlinear Systems Under Feedback

We study the feedback group action on single-input nonlinear control systems. We follow an approach of Kang and Krener based on analysing, step by step, the action of homogeneous transformations on the homogeneous part of the system. We construct a dual normal form and dual invariants with respect to those obtained by Kang. We also propose a canonical form and show that two systems are equivalent via a formal feedback if and only if their canonical forms coincide. We give an explicit construction of transformations bringing the system to its normal, dual normal, and canonical form