Essential considerations for design and control of human-interactive robots

Abstract

Managing the trade-off between performance and stability is a crucial issue in physical human-robot interaction, and this has become more important than ever apace with growing needs for physically human-interactive robots in many fields, such as assistive robotics and rehabilitation robotics. In this paper, we present two essential considerations for design and control of robots physically interacting with humans: energetic passivity and mechanical impedance. Characterization of passive, dissipative, and active behavior of the human neuromuscular system is essential to ensure and control coupled stability in physical human-robot interaction. In addition, characterization of human mechanical impedance at the interaction port provides detailed quantitative information to describe interactive dynamics. The importance of these characterizations is demonstrated by simple examples and the authors' previous research on the human ankle. Implications for quantitative guidelines for robot design and control are discussed.