Work

Reaction Wheel Pendulum Stabilization Using Various State-Space Representations

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This paper addresses the problem of stabilizing an inverted pendulum actuated by a reaction wheel, a system relevant for robotic balancing platforms and aerospace applications. The study compares several state-space representations of the system and examines their implications for controller synthesis and parameter identification. A unified nonlinear model formulation is introduced, enabling a structural Lyapunov-based robustness analysis that reveals how variations in the gravitational gain affect closed-loop stability. Control strategies based on pole placement and Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) design are implemented and compared across the different representations. The analysis highlights a robustness–fidelity trade-off between model complexity and sensitivity to parameter uncertainty, providing insight that extends beyond the specific laboratory setup. Theoretical results are validated on a real laboratory platform. The controllers are evaluated in both upright and downward equilibrium configurations, and the influence of parameter shifts is assessed experimentally using global identification and performance indices. The work offers general modeling and robustness guidelines for reaction-wheel-based stabilization systems and related underactuated nonlinear mechanisms.

Source: Electronics

DOI: 10.3390/electronics14234719

Authors: Jacek Michalski, Mikołaj Mrotek, Tymoteusz Tomczak, Jakub Wojciechowski, Dariusz Pazderski

Institution: Poznań University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Control and Stability of Dynamical Systems

Subfield: Control and Systems Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896

Funder: Politechnika Poznańska