Synchronization of networked Lagrangian systems with input constraints

This paper addresses the synchronization problem of systems modeled by Euler-Lagrange equations and subject to input saturations. First, a new control design strategy, based on virtual systems, is proposed. This approach allows to generate control inputs that are a priori bounded in the presence of communication time-delays, regardless of the information flow topology between systems in the network. Second, we remove the requirement of the generalized velocities, leading to a velocity-free synchronization scheme with a priori bounded inputs. The effectiveness of the proposed control schemes is demonstrated through simulation examples on a network of four robot manipulator arms.