Switching from stable to unknown unstable steady states of dynamical systems.

We demonstrate that a dynamical system can be switched from a stable steady state to a previously unknown unstable (saddle) steady state using proportional feedback coupling to an auxiliary unstable system. The simplest one-dimensional nonlinear model is treated analytically, the more complicated two-dimensional pendulum is considered numerically, while the damped Duffing-Holmes oscillator is investigated analytically, numerically, and experimentally. Experiments have been performed using a simplified version of the electronic Young-Silva circuit imitating the dynamical behavior of the Duffing-Holmes system. The physical mechanism behind the switching effect is discussed.