SUMMARYAn adaptive back-stepping sliding mode controller (ABSMC) algorithm was developed for nonlinear uncertain systems based on a nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO). The developed ABSMC was applied to attitude control for the dual arm of a humanoid robot. Considering the system uncertainty and the unknown external disturbances, the ABSMC scheme was designed to eliminate the chattering phenomenon in the traditional sliding mode control and to reduce the tracking error closer to zero. The ABSMC algorithm solved problems related to the chattering of the system for both uncertainties and disturbances in the humanoid robotic system with an NDO in a two-dimensional environment. The algorithm was designed to work equally well with agents, with higher degrees of freedom in different applications. The method was appropriate for improving tracking performance. The ABSMC algorithm guaranteed global stability and improved the dynamic performance of the system. The algorithm inherited a low computational cost, probabilistic completeness, and asymptotic optimality from the fuzzy sliding mode control. This algorithm has a practical application in the dual arm of a humanoid robot with a circular trajectory. This paper showed the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed methods, which reduced the output of the controller and improved the control performance of the humanoid robotic system. The new combined control algorithm, ABSMC, was able to feasibly and efficiently weaken the chattering on the robot's closed-loop paths, starting and finishing at the same configuration.