Hybrid control as a method for robot motion programming

Abstract

This paper presents a class of fundamental control policies suitable for use in a novel method for designing and specifying the dynamic motion of robotic systems. Through recourse to formal stability mechanisms a hybrid control strategy (one that relies on switching of underlying continuous policies) with desirable performance characteristics is demonstrated to be both stable and expressive for programming such motions. The long term intent is to utilize slightly more general control methods of this form to drastically simplify the process of integrating and programming modular automated assembly systems.