Event-Triggered Super-Twisting Fixed-Time Consensus Control for Networked Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems With Disturbance

In this paper, the leader-follower fixed-time consensus problem of networked nonlinear multi-agent systems (NNMASs) with unknown disturbance is investigated. A new event-triggered super-twisting fixed-time sliding mode consensus control (ESFSMCC) method is proposed, enabling all agents to achieve consensus in a fixed time. Firstly, a terminal sliding mode variable is designed to eliminate the convergence time dependence on the initial values of the system and avoid singularity. Secondly, a distributed event-triggered mechanism is developed to effectively reduce inter-agent communication frequency in a networked environment. In contrast to the existing fixed-time consensus control method, the improved super-twisting algorithm is adopted to construct a control protocol to achieve both global fixed-time consensus robustness and alleviate the issue of high-frequency chattering. Thirdly, the Lyapunov theory is utilized without the piecewise sliding mode technique to derive sufficient conditions for establishing the fixed-time stability of NNMASs, which still avoids the singularity problem. In this paper, the non-segmented terminal sliding mode is employed to prove the global fixed-time stability of the system states, thereby avoiding computational complexity. Finally, the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method are verified through numerical simulations. Note to Practitioners—With the flourishing development of networks today, networked control is poised to become a future research hotspot, especially when large-scale agents interact and collaborate. The efficient utilization of network resources has become increasingly urgent due to the proliferation of such interactions. Consequently, reducing energy consumption poses a significant challenge. Moreover, the high-frequency chattering of control inputs presents a hindrance to the practical application of SMC. To address these issue, this paper proposes an event-triggered super-twisting distributed control protocol for NNMASs. This protocol not only eliminates the influence of initial values on stability time, thereby enhancing its practical value, but also mitigates the impact of input chattering, providing robust support for practical applications. Finally, a dynamics model of a multi-robotic manipulator is employed to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method. Additionally, underwater autonomous vehicle formations are expected to become valuable tools for future ocean resource exploration, while drone formations will likely become the preferred choice for agricultural development, geological exploration, and transportation. Even space exploration will involve coordinated interaction between multiple spacecraft. These are typical applications of NNMASs.