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Everything about Backstepping

Technique in nonlinear control theory

In control theory, backstepping is a technique developed circa 1990 by Petar V. Kokotovic, and others for designing stabilizing controls for a special class of nonlinear dynamical systems. These systems are built from subsystems that radiate out from an irreducible subsystem that can be stabilized using some other method. Because of this recursive structure, the designer can start the design process at the known-stable system and "back out" new controllers that progressively stabilize each outer subsystem. The process terminates when the final external control is reached. Hence, this process is known as backstepping. Wikipedia →

🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: BacksteppingA 5-minute orientation
  2. Skim a recent paper: Bumpless transfer distributed adaptive backstepping control of nonlinear multi-agent systems with circular filtering under DoS attacksInfluential work since 2022
  3. Pick up a classic book: Adaptive Backstepping Control of Uncertain Systems with Actuator Failures, Subsystem Interactions, and Nonsmooth NonlinearitiesThe most-reprinted book on the subject
  4. Read the landmark paper: Command Filtered BacksteppingCited 1,243 times
  5. Go sideways: Two-dimensional critical Ising modelA closely related topic
  6. Go sideways: Topological recursionA closely related topic

📖 Definitions

Noun A technique for designing stabilizing controls for a special recursive class of nonlinear dynamical systems.

Noun A gradual backward movement of organisms or a sedimentary environment caused by changes in environmental factors.

🗂️ The subject at a glance

  1. Backstepping approach
  2. Recursive Control Design Overview
  3. Integrator Backstepping
  4. Generic Backstepping

🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)

🆕 Influential since 2022

📚 Books worth reading

Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.

🔗 Related topics