Robot force/position control with force and visual feedback

Abstract

In this paper, a force/position control law for a robot manipulator in contact with a partially known environment is proposed. The environment is a rigid object of known geometry but of unknown and time-varying pose. An algorithm for online estimation of the object pose is adopted, based on visual data provided by a camera as well as on forces measured during the interaction with the environment. This information is used by a hybrid force/position control scheme. Simulation results are presented for the case of an industrial robot manipulator in contact with a planar surface.