Experimental evaluation of link position tracking controllers for rigid-link flexible-joint robots

Abstract

We present an experimental evaluation of several link position tracking control algorithms for rigid-link flexible-joint (RLFJ) robot manipulators. To study the performance of the controllers, an IMI 2-link direct-drive planar robot manipulator was modified to approximate linear torsional spring couplings from the actuators to the links. Preliminary experimental results seem to indicate that reduced-order model-based controllers with an actuator feedback loop provide relatively good link position tracking while a full-order model based controller offers some further improvement in link position tracking at the expense of increased computation.