Nonlinear bilateral teleoperation with flexible-link slave manipulator

Abstract

This paper addresses bilateral control of a nonlinear teleoperation system with flexible-link slave manipulator. For this purpose, due to the non-minimum phase behavior of flexible-link manipulators, tip position tracking of the slave manipulator is performed based on the output redefinition method. Moreover, to compensate the uncertainties, a robustifying term is considered in the controller. However, disturbances exerted on the master robot are estimated via a nonlinear disturbance observer. Then, the master force controller is designed based on the estimated value and environmental force feedback from the slave part.