Integrator forwarding: A new recursive nonlinear robust design

Abstract

We consider the global stabilization of nonlinear systems in strict feedforward form. We show that these systems, while not feedback linearizable, can be (globally) transformed by feedback and diffeomorphism into a lower-triangular form. The transformation is explicit and recursive. We employ this transformation to design a globally stabilizing controller with optimality properties and an input-to-state stability property with respect to matched uncertainties.