Enhanced sliding mode observer-based speed estimation for DC motor-driven articulated robotic arms using quantum computing
Abderraouf Kouici1, Anis Lounes Tazerout1, Mehdi Fazilat2, Mohamed Tadjine1 and Nadjet Zioui2
École Nationale Polytechnique,10 Rue des Frères OUDEK, El Harrach 16200,Algiers,Algeria1
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières,3351 Bd des Forges, Trois-Rivières,QC G8Z 4M3,Canada2
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières,3351 Bd des Forges, Trois-Rivières,QC G8Z 4M3,Canada2
Corresponding Author : Nadjet Zioui
Recieved : 05-November-2025; Revised : 14-July-2026; Accepted : 24-July-2026
Abstract
Accurate sensorless estimation of speed and current remains important for compact direct-current (DC) motor-driven robotic joints, particularly when the actuator operates under disturbances, parameter uncertainty, and limited actuation resources. Conventional sliding mode observers (SMOs) are attractive because of their robustness; however, their sign-based injection mechanism may introduce chattering, repeated switching, and increased corrective effort, which can restrict their practical use in energy-sensitive robotic actuators. This paper proposes a quantum sliding mode observer (QSMO) for state estimation in a DC motor-driven joint of a six-degree-of-freedom articulated robotic arm. Instead of generating the sliding-mode injection signal through a direct relay-type mechanism, the proposed observer uses a three-qubit-inspired decision logic in which error existence, error sign, and corrective injection state are encoded separately. Through this structure, the observer determines both whether a correction is needed and the direction in which it should be applied, with the aim of retaining the robustness of the SMO while reducing unnecessary switching. The method is derived from the DC motor state-space model and implemented in MATLAB/Simulink, where the quantum-inspired logic is represented through equivalent circuit operations. The QSMO is compared with a classical sliding mode observer (CSMO) under identical simulation conditions, including matched and mismatched initial states, constant disturbance, random disturbance, and a 10% armature-resistance variation. The results show that the QSMO maintains accurate speed and current estimation while producing sparser injection activity and less visible chattering than the CSMO across the tested cases. These results suggest that quantum-inspired injection logic can improve observer smoothness and robustness in simulation-level robotic joint control applications.
Keywords
Quantum sliding mode observer, Sensorless speed estimation, Direct-current motor, Robotic joint, Chattering reduction, Quantum-inspired control.
Cite this article
Kouici A, Tazerout AL, Fazilat M, Tadjine M, Zioui N. Enhanced sliding mode observer-based speed estimation for DC motor-driven articulated robotic arms using quantum computing. International Journal of Advanced Technology and Engineering Exploration. 2026;13(140):135-158. DOI : 10.19101/IJATEE.2025.121221445
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