Hybrid force/position control of master and slave robotic systems

Abstract

ABSTRACT For certain robotic applications, the manipulator should be tele-operated to reach a specified position or track a desired trajectory, with desired compliance, in a hazardous working environment. Hence, how to construct a two-way position/force-transmitted master/slave system for tele-manipulating end-effector motion by an operator is a relevant research topic. Here, a novel low-cost system structure has been constructed with a Novint Falcon tactile device as the master control and a 5 DOF robot arm the slave end. Appropriate position and contact force transformation between both mechanisms were established and transmitted through an RS232 interface. An operator can manipulate the Novint Falcon tactile device to deliver the position and force output commands to the slave robot arm controller for monitoring the position and force responses of the end-effector. A torque/force sensor was installed at the robotic wrist to measure the contact force, and feedback to the master end as hand feeling for two-way impedance motion harmonization. The experimental results show that the operator can tele-operate the robotic manipulator to follow the commanded trajectory with appropriate contact force and get proportional force feedback to the operator’s hand, via the Novint Falcon device.