Abstract: Based on interconnection and damping assignment passivity based control (IDA PBC) method, a controller is designed for the position and attitude maneuver of a space continuum robot (SCR), deformation control of continuum manipulators, and external disturbance to the system. The desired energy function of the SCR is obtained by energy shaping, and then the damping is injected to make the system asymptotically stable. The nonlinear disturbance observer is used to estimate the disturbance and compensate the external disturbance. The simulation results show that the designed controller can make the SCR move to the specified position and attitude, and control the deformation of continuum manipulators to the desired configuration. Additionally, the designed controller has the ability of active anti disturbance. By selecting appropriate energy shaping and damping injection coefficients, the system can reach the specified equilibrium point with desired dynamic performance.

Key words: Space robot, Continuum manipulator, Energy shaping, Damping injection, Disturbance observer