Impedance control and physical human-robot interaction for multi-limb robots

 In this talk, Michael will present his recent work on an impedance control framework for multi-arm and multi-legged systems subject to contact and physical human interaction. He uses projected operational space control to impose a Cartesian impedance behaviour in the task-space, while optimising contact forces in the internal null space. Michael will demonstrate how the controller allows him to estimate external interaction forces without direct contact force sensing, and additionally estimate and compensate for modelling errors.  He applies the controller to multiple manipulators grasping an object of unknown weight, as well as to a quadruped robot balancing on uneven terrain. In both cases, the robots are subject to physical human interactions and unknown disturbances.