Robot manipulator's contact tasks on uncertain flexible objects

The present paper studies a robot manipulator's contact tasks on the uncertain flexible objects. The flexible object's distributed parameter model is approximated into a lumped "position state-varying" model. By using the well-known nonlinear feedback compensation, the robot's control space is decomposed into the position control subspace and the object's torque control subspace. The optimal state feedback is designed for the position loop, and the robot's contact force is controlled through controlling the resultant torque on the object using model-reference simple adaptive control. Experiments of a PUMA robot interacting with an aluminum plate show the effectiveness of this control approach. approach.