Task Space Control of Robots with Variable Stiffness Actuation

Abstract

The development of safe and dependable robots for physical human-robot interaction is actually changing the way how robot are designed introducing several new aspects, like the adoption of compliant transmission elements and soft covers, the definition of motion control laws that allow compliant behavior in reaction to possible collisions while preserving accuracy and performance during the motion in the free space. In this paper, the workspace control of a robotic manipulator with relevant and adjustable joint stiffness is addressed. The problem of controlling simultaneously both the position and the stiffness trajectory in the robot workspace is investigated.