<p>Generating and stabilizing periodic motions in nonlinear systems is a challenging task. In the control system community this topic is also known as limit cycle control. In recent years a framework known as Virtual Holonomic Constraints (VHC) has been developed as one of the solutions to this problem. The aim of this thesis is to give an insight into this approach and its practical application.</p><p>The contribution of this work is primarily the experimental validation of the theory. A step by step procedure of this methodology is given for motion planning, as well as for controller design. Three particular setups were chosen for experiments: the inertia wheel pendulum, the Furuta pendulum and the two-link planar pendulum. These under-actuated mechanical systems are well known benchmarking setups for testing advanced control design methods.</p><p>Further application is intended for cases such as biped robot walking/running, human and animal locomotion analysis, etc.</p>

Generating and stabilizing periodic motions in nonlinear systems is a challenging task. In the control system community this topic is also known as limit cycle control. In recent years a framework known as Virtual Holonomic Constraints (VHC) has been developed as one of the solutions to this problem. The aim of this thesis is to give an insight into this approach and its practical application. The contribution of this work is primarily the experimental validation of the theory. A step by step procedure of this methodology is given for motion planning, as well as for controller design. Three particular setups were chosen for experiments: the inertia wheel pendulum, the Furuta pendulum and the two-link planar pendulum. These under-actuated mechanical systems are well known benchmarking setups for testing advanced control design methods. Further application is intended for cases such as biped robot walking/running, human and animal locomotion analysis, etc.