Global stabilization of a double inverted pendulum with control at the hinge between the links

Abstract

We study the plane motion of a double pendulum with fixed suspension point. The pendulum is controlled by a single moment applied to the internal hinge between the links. The moment is assumed to be bounded in absolute value. We construct a feedback control law bringing the pendulum from the position in which both links hang vertically downwards into the unstable upper position in which both links are inverted. The same feedback ensures the asymptotic stability of the pendulum in the upper equilibrium position. Since the pendulum can be brought to the lower equilibrium position from any initial states, it follows that the constructed control law ensures the global stability of the inverted pendulum.