Input-Output Extension of Underactuated Nonlinear Systems

In this letter, we address the problem of re-targeting a commercial under-actuated robotic system to a higher dimensional output task. Commercial platforms are equipped with an on-board low-level internal controller that provides the user some virtual references inputs and cannot be replaced. Such controller may control in practice only a subset of the total degrees-of-freedom of the system. Our primary objective is to augment these systems by introducing supplementary inputs, attaining increased output capability. Integrating such additional inputs into the control framework introduces a layer of complexity, raising questions about the compatibility and cohesiveness of the overall system. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions under which it is possible to extend the controlled outputs by adding extra inputs when one is forced to keep the internal controller unmodified. We underscore the efficacy and universality of our proposed methodology through the presentation of two relevant examples.