Pseudo‐energy shaping for the stabilization of a class of second‐order systems

SUMMARY A Lyapunov direct method is presented for a class of second‐order systems that includes mechanical systems. This method shall be called a pseudo‐energy shaping method because it reduces to the energy shaping method when a given second‐order system is a mechanical system. The pseudo‐energy shaping method comprehends both the Lyapunov direct method for mechanical systems proposed by Aguilar‐Ibañez and the controlled Lagrangian method that...