Experimental identification of IPMC actuator parameters through incorporation of linear and nonlinear least squares methods

A variety of linear and nonlinear models have been developed to explain the actuation properties of IPMC. The models’ parameters are mostly obtained by linear identification methods. Thus lack of strictly accurate estimation seems to be a big issue.In this paper, an identification approach is presented which incorporates linear with nonlinear least squares method. The IPMC model comprises two parts, the nonlinear relationship between the absorbed current and the applied voltage and the linear relationship between the absorbed current and the blocking force. The parameters of both parts are identified experimentally using linear and nonlinear least squares methods. Experimental results indicate that the methodology works properly in terms of various inputs and convergence of the identified parameters is guaranteed.