Semi-Global Finite-Time Output-Feedback Stabilization with an Application to Robotics

The continuous finite-time stabilization of a broad class of lower-triangular nonlinear systems using output feedback is studied in this paper. The nonlinearities are only assumed to be Hölder continuous. A constructive, continuous, finite-time, output-feedback stabilizer design is proposed based on a finite-time observer. Rigorous finite-time stability analysis is carried out for the closed-loop observer-controller system. The proposed design method is applied to a single-link robotic manipulator coupled to a dc motor.