Neural networks-based adaptive output-feedback control design for nonlinear systems with dead zone output and uncertain disturbances

This work focuses on the issue of neural networks-based adaptive output-feedback control for nonlinear systems with dead zone output and immeasurable states. Radial basis function neural networks (RBFNN) are utilised to approximate the unknown functions and an input-driven filter is used to estimate the immeasurable states. Nussbaum function is employed to address the issue of uncertain virtual control coefficient, which is brought by the dead zone in the output mechanism, and the presented control scheme requires only one adaptive law, making the structure of the controllers very realistic. Based on the approximation capabilities of NNs and the backstepping method, an adaptive controller is designed. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, all signals in closed-loop systems are semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded (SGUUB), and the tracking error converges to a small area near the origin. The effectiveness of the proposed adaptive control method is proved with the help of two examples.