Global Output-Feedback Finite-Time Stabilization Using a Switching Technique*

The problem of global finite-time stabilization of lower-triangular nonlinear systems is investigated in this paper. Unlike previous papers that either used the full-state information or assumed that the system nonlinearities satisfy some restrictive conditions, in this paper a novel solution to the global output-feedback finite-time stabilization problem for a larger class of nonlinear systems is proposed under a mild condition. A new analytic method is also developed to prove the global finite-time stability of the closed-loop systems.