Controller design in the physical domain (application to robot impedance control)

Design in the physical domain is proposed as a means of integrating control systems design with mechanical systems design. It is shown how this philosophy can lead to a robot architecture (macro/micromanipulator) that is inherently stable and well suited for high-bandwidth endpoint position and force control. Experimental verification is presented. A force-control bandwidth of 60 Hz, 32 times higher than the first structural mode of the robot, was achieved against an environment that is five times stiffer than the robot structure. An endpoint-position-control bandwidth of 28 Hz, 15 times higher than the first structural mode of the robot, was also achieved. This is beneficial in regulating interface forces and modulating endpoint impedance