Arm-manipulator coordination for load sharing using reflexive motion control

Abstract

Arm-manipulator coordination is a new and attractive use of robotic manipulators in unstructured environments. In this paper, we propose a reflexive motion control as a coordination mechanism for the manipulator to share the load with the arm. Reflexive motion is an inspiration of biological systems. The motion is formulated in a manner which assists the manipulator to comprehend the intention of the human arm. It reduces the strain on the arm which is due to the weight of the object. In addition, the speed of manipulation on the object is improved significantly. The effects of the reflexive behavior on stability and load sharing of the system are investigated. Experimental results are presented to prove the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.