IAES International Journal of Robotics and Automation (IJRA)
Vol 15, No 1: March 2026

Modeling and control of a 3D under-actuated bipedal robot using partial feedback linearization

Guessam, Ali (Unknown)
Abdessemed, Foudil (Unknown)
Chehhat, Abdelmadjid (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Mar 2026

Abstract

This article presents a dynamic modeling and control framework for a 3D underactuated five-link bipedal robot with 14 degrees of freedom (DoF) and eight actuators. The robot exhibits highly nonlinear, strongly coupled, and hybrid dynamics, posing challenges for conventional control approaches. To address these issues and introduce our research contribution, a partial feedback linearization (PFL)-based tracking framework is proposed, which analytically decouples the system into actuated and unactuated subsystems, enabling efficient real-time control. Unlike hybrid zero dynamics (HZD) methods that enforce virtual constraints online and require offline gait optimization, or model predictive control (MPC) schemes that are online optimization based dependent and computationally demanding, the proposed PFL approach achieves computational simplicity and fast implementation through closed-form control laws. In contrast to zero-moment point (ZMP)-based controllers, PFL enables dynamic underactuated walking with PD feedback for accurate trajectory tracking and disturbance attenuation, though robustness to large uncertainties and disturbances may require additional mechanisms, such as adaptive control, sliding-mode, or fuzzy logic. Simulation results of the applied control method demonstrate the periodic nature and stability of generated walking gaits, which proves the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed control approach.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

IJRA

Publisher

Subject

Automotive Engineering Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Description

Robots are becoming part of people's everyday social lives and will increasingly become so. In future years, robots may become caretaker assistants for the elderly, or academic tutors for our children, or medical assistants, day care assistants, or psychological counselors. Robots may become our ...