Exponential Mapping Controller Applied to an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

A novel modified exponential function to achieve tracking and regulatory direct and indirect model-free feedback control of a class of nonlinear dynamical systems is presented. Its simplicity was a requisite to have it run on equipment and devices with memory and processor constraints. The control algorithm needs only two parameters and can be applied to systems based on knowledge about its free response and expected disturbances. Its main advantages are a relative ease of implementation and intuitive tuning. The controller is applied to the simulation of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) under currents, with promising results. In particular, its intuitive form of parameterization allowed in some cases for immediate good results or at least for good initial estimates for later tuning.