Reference Books
External reading for robotics, screw axis theory, nonlinear control, underactuated robotics, biomechanics, golf science, and classical mechanics
This page contains curated external book recommendations covering robotics and screw axis theory, nonlinear control, underactuated robotics, biomechanics, golf science, and classical mechanics. Each book entry includes Amazon links, previews, and additional resources where available. Open-source materials and free resources are included when available.
Robotics and Screw Axis Theory
A Mathematical Introduction to Robotic Manipulation
This book presents a mathematical formulation of the kinematics, dynamics, and control of robot manipulators, emphasizing the geometry of robot motion. It provides a comprehensive introduction to screw theory and its applications in robotics.
Rigid Body Dynamics Algorithms
This book provides a comprehensive guide to the algorithms used for simulating the dynamics of rigid bodies, essential for robotics applications. It covers efficient computational methods for multibody systems and spatial vector algebra.
Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control
This textbook offers a modern approach to the mechanics, planning, and control of robots, integrating geometric tools and concepts. It provides a unified treatment of robot kinematics, dynamics, motion planning, and control using modern mathematical tools.
A Treatise on the Theory of Screws
The foundational work on screw theory, originally published in 1900. This classic text establishes the mathematical framework for understanding rigid body motion using screws and wrenches. Essential reading for understanding the geometric foundations of robotics and mechanism design.
Kinematic Geometry of Mechanisms
A comprehensive treatment of kinematic geometry and screw theory applied to mechanisms. This book provides a modern geometric approach to understanding the motion of mechanisms and robotic systems, building on the foundations laid by Ball's work on screw theory.
Geometric Fundamentals of Robotics
This book provides a modern treatment of the geometric foundations of robotics, including screw theory, Lie groups, and their applications to robot kinematics and dynamics. It bridges classical screw theory with modern differential geometry approaches.
Nonlinear Control
Nonlinear Systems
The most widely used textbook on nonlinear systems analysis and control. This comprehensive text covers stability theory, feedback linearization, passivity, and advanced topics in nonlinear control. Known for its clear exposition and extensive examples, it's an essential reference for students and researchers.
Applied Nonlinear Control
A practical and accessible introduction to nonlinear control design. This book emphasizes geometric methods, feedback linearization, and sliding mode control, with numerous examples and applications. Particularly strong on Lyapunov-based design methods.
Nonlinear Control Systems
An authoritative graduate-level text on nonlinear control systems. This book provides a rigorous treatment of differential geometric methods, including feedback linearization, input-output linearization, and the theory of invariant distributions. Essential for understanding the geometric foundations of nonlinear control.
Nonlinear and Adaptive Control Design
This pioneering text introduces backstepping and other adaptive control techniques for nonlinear systems. It presents systematic design methodologies for controlling uncertain nonlinear systems, with applications to mechanical systems, robotics, and aerospace systems.
Nonlinear Dynamical Systems and Control: A Lyapunov-Based Approach
A comprehensive treatment of nonlinear dynamical systems emphasizing Lyapunov-based stability analysis and control design. This book provides a unified framework for analyzing stability, performance, and robustness of nonlinear systems using modern mathematical tools.
Nonsmooth Mechanics: Models, Dynamics and Control
The definitive reference on nonsmooth dynamical systems, covering impacts, friction, and unilateral constraints. Essential for understanding how discontinuous phenomena (Coulomb friction, stiction, impacts, backlash) interact with control-theoretic frameworks. Directly relevant to extending control-affine analysis beyond CΒΉ smoothness assumptions.
Contraction Analysis of Nonlinear Systems
The foundational paper on contraction theory, establishing that exponential convergence of trajectories can be certified through differential analysis. Central to the stability-optimality duality developed in the AffineDrift tangent-space framework. Available as a journal article.
Nonholonomic Mechanics and Control
A rigorous treatment of nonholonomic constraints, geometric mechanics, and their interaction with control theory. Covers Lie group methods, symmetry reduction, and stabilization of underactuated systems. Particularly relevant for understanding constraints that cannot be written as configuration-only equations.
Open-Source Materials
Several open-source tools and libraries are available for nonlinear control research and implementation:
Underactuated Robotics
Underactuated Robotics
A comprehensive open-source textbook on underactuated robotics covering algorithms for walking, running, swimming, flying, and manipulation. This book emphasizes exploiting natural dynamics rather than canceling them out, making it highly relevant for understanding biomechanical systems and efficient robotic control. The book is freely available online with accompanying lecture videos and software tools.
Dynamics of Underactuated Multibody Systems
This book provides a comprehensive treatment of the dynamics, modeling, control, and optimal design of underactuated multibody systems. It covers theoretical foundations and practical applications, making it valuable for researchers and engineers working with systems that have fewer actuators than degrees of freedom.
Motion Control of Underactuated Mechanical Systems
This book presents a unified perspective on the control of underactuated mechanical systems, including real-time implementation of parameter identification and various control algorithms. It covers theoretical developments and experimental validation, with applications to systems like the Furuta pendulum and inertia wheel pendulum.
Underactuated Robotic Hands
A comprehensive treatment of the design and control of underactuated robotic hands. This book explores mechanical design principles, grasp analysis, and control strategies for hands with fewer actuators than degrees of freedom, making it essential for understanding adaptive grasping mechanisms.
Biomechanics
Biomechanics and Motor Control of Human Movement
The classic textbook on human biomechanics and motor control. This comprehensive text covers the mechanical principles underlying human movement, including kinematics, kinetics, muscle mechanics, and motor control. It's widely regarded as the foundational text in the field and is essential reading for understanding human movement biomechanics.
Basic Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System
A fundamental text on musculoskeletal biomechanics that provides a clear introduction to the mechanical principles governing the musculoskeletal system. This book covers bone mechanics, joint biomechanics, muscle mechanics, and applications to clinical problems, making it essential for students and practitioners.
Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise
A comprehensive introduction to biomechanics applied to sport and exercise. This text covers fundamental mechanical principles, human movement analysis, and applications to athletic performance and injury prevention. It's widely used in kinesiology and exercise science programs.
Fundamentals of Biomechanics
An accessible introduction to biomechanics that emphasizes practical applications and quantitative analysis. This book covers mechanical principles, human movement analysis, and applications to sports, rehabilitation, and ergonomics. It's known for its clear explanations and practical examples.
Kinetics of Human Motion
A comprehensive treatment of the kinetics of human movement, covering force, torque, momentum, and energy in human motion. This book provides rigorous mathematical treatment of biomechanical principles and is essential for understanding the dynamics of human movement.
Introductory Biomechanics
An integrated text designed for engineering students that provides a broad overview of biomechanics, covering topics from the mechanics of single cells to the dynamics of human movement. This book assumes no prior biological knowledge and introduces relevant anatomy and physiology before analyzing biological systems from a mechanical viewpoint.
Golf Science
No golf-science-specific book entries have been curated for this category yet. See the Book Reviews page and the Classical Mechanics and Biomechanics categories on this page for related material in the meantime.
Classical Mechanics
Classical Mechanics (3rd Edition)
The standard graduate-level text on classical mechanics. Covers Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations, canonical transformations, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, and rigid body dynamics. The foundational reference for the energy-based derivations used throughout the AffineDrift framework.
Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics
A masterpiece connecting classical mechanics with modern mathematics. Arnold develops mechanics using the language of differential geometry, symplectic manifolds, and Lie groups. The geometric perspective is essential background for understanding tangent-space methods and the manifold structure exploited in the AffineDrift framework.
The Variational Principles of Mechanics
A beautifully written exposition of variational methods in mechanics. Lanczos develops the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian approaches with exceptional clarity and physical intuition, making it an excellent companion for understanding why the Euler-Lagrange equations naturally produce the control-affine structure exploited throughout this site.
Lagrangian Mechanics for the Non-Physicist
An accessible introduction to Lagrangian mechanics tailored for readers without a physics background. This book provides a clear explanation of the fundamental principles and applications of Lagrangian mechanics.
No Nonsense Classical Mechanics
A straightforward guide to classical mechanics that focuses on clarity and practical understanding. This book presents classical mechanics concepts in a clear, concise manner without unnecessary complexity.