Actuators that require commutation algorithms, such as the switched reluctance motor (SRM) considered in this paper and employed in the coarse pointing assembly (CPA) for free-space optical communication, often have torque-ripple disturbances that are periodic in the commutation-angle domain that deteriorate the positioning performance. The aim of this paper is to model the torque ripple as a Gaussian Process (GP) in the commutation-angle domain and consequently compensate for it at arbitrary velocity. The approach employs repetitive control (RC) at a constant velocity. A spatial GP with a periodic kernel is trained using data that is obtained from the RC step resulting in a static non-linear function for compensation at arbitrary velocity. Stability conditions are provided for both steps. The approach is successfully applied to a CPA prototype to improve the tracking performance for laser communication, where the torque ripple is compensated at arbitrary velocity.

Repetitive control (RC) can perfectly attenuate disturbances that are periodic in the time domain. The aim of this article is to develop an RC approach that compensates for disturbances that are time-domain nonperiodic but are repeating in the position domain. The developed position-domain buffer consists of a Gaussian process (GP), which is learned using appropriate dynamic filters and nonequidistant data. This approach estimates position-domain disturbances resulting in perfect compensation. The method is successfully applied to a substrate carrier system, demonstrating performance robustness against time-domain nonperiodic disturbances that are amplified by traditional RC.

Data-driven feedforward control for tracking of varying and non-resetting point-to-point references requires continuous updating of feedforward parameters instead of task-by-task updating. The aim of this paper is to develop an adaptive feedforward controller for non-resetting point-to-point motion tasks by a data-driven feedforward controller. An approximate optimal instrumental variable (IV) estimator with real-time bootstrapping is employed in a closed-loop setting to update the feedforward parameters. A case study on a wafer-stage and experimental validation on a benchmark motion system show the performance benefit.

Machine learning techniques, including Gaussian processes (GPs), are expected to play a significant role in meeting speed, accuracy, and functionality requirements in future data-intensive mechatronic systems. This paper aims to reveal the potential of GPs for motion control applications. Successful applications of GPs for feedforward and learning control, including the identification and learning for noncausal feedforward, position-dependent snap feedforward, nonlinear feedforward, and GP-based spatial repetitive control, are outlined. Experimental results on various systems, including a desktop printer, wirebonder, and substrate carrier, confirmed that data-based learning using GPs can significantly improve the accuracy of mechatronic systems.

Repetitive control enables the exact compensation of periodic disturbances if the internal model is appropriately selected. The aim of this paper is to develop a novel synthesis technique for repetitive control (RC) based on a new more general internal model. By employing a Gaussian process internal model, asymptotic rejection is obtained for a wide range of disturbances through an appropriate selection of a kernel. The implementation is a simple linear time-invariant (LTI) filter that is automatically synthesized through this kernel. The result is a user-friendly design approach based on a limited number of intuitive design variables, such as smoothness and periodicity. The approach naturally extends to reject multi-period and non-periodic disturbances, exiting approaches are recovered as special cases, and a case study shows that it outperforms traditional RC in both convergence speed and steady-state error.