Summary
In this work, a new robust nonlinear feedback control method with dynamic active compensation is proposed; the active control method has been applied to an integral series of finite‐time single‐input single‐output nonlinear system with uncertainty. In further tracking the closed‐loop stability and nonlinear uncertainty, an extended state observer has been employed to solve the immeasurability and nonlinear uncertainty within a nonlinear system. A singular perturbation theory has been used to solve for the finite‐time stability of the closed‐loop system; furthermore, numerical simulations showed that the robust nonlinear feedback controller tracked the uncertainty in a nonlinear Duffing‐type oscillator and has proven the effectiveness of the approximate finite‐time control strategy proposed. By using an approximate finite‐time control approach with active compensation, the uncertainty in a nonlinear system could be accurately estimated and controlled. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.