End-to-End Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Stewart Platform with Nonlinear Estimation and Control

TL;DR

This paper details the design, control, and validation of an affordable Stewart platform that integrates nonlinear estimation and control, demonstrating precise motion and state estimation through experiments, suitable for research and education.

Contribution

It presents a complete low-cost Stewart platform with integrated nonlinear control and state estimation, validated through experiments, combining hardware design with advanced control algorithms.

Findings

Effective trajectory tracking achieved in experiments

Real-time state estimation under noise and disturbances

Platform proves versatile for research and education

Abstract

This paper presents the complete design, control, and experimental validation of a low-cost Stewart platform prototype developed as an affordable yet capable robotic testbed for research and education. The platform combines off the shelf components with 3D printed and custom fabricated parts to deliver full six degrees of freedom motions using six linear actuators connecting a moving platform to a fixed base. The system software integrates dynamic modeling, data acquisition, and real time control within a unified framework. A robust trajectory tracking controller based on feedback linearization, augmented with an LQR scheme, compensates for the platform's nonlinear dynamics to achieve precise motion control. In parallel, an Extended Kalman Filter fuses IMU and actuator encoder feedback to provide accurate and reliable state estimation under sensor noise and external disturbances. Unlike prior efforts that emphasize only isolated aspects such as modeling or control, this work delivers a complete hardware-software platform validated through both simulation and experiments on static and dynamic trajectories. Results demonstrate effective trajectory tracking and real-time state estimation, highlighting the platform's potential as a cost effective and versatile tool for advanced research and educational applications.