A feasibility study of time-domain passivity approach for bilateral teleoperation of mobile manipulator

This paper provides results of feasibility study of time domain passivity approach for bilateral teleoperation of mobile manipulator. Mobile manipulator in this study is a manipulator mounted on mobile platform. We consider bilateral teleoperation system in which human-operator sequentially controls speed of mobile platform (rate mode) or position of manipulator via manipulating haptic master device. Force feedback is transmitted to human-operator based on physical interaction of manipulator end-effector with remote environment. Time-domain passivity has been successfully applied to teleoperation systems in which position of master robot was mapped to position of slave robot. In this paper attempt of application of time-domain passivity control for rate and position control of mobile manipulator is presented. Time domain passivity application issues are described and analyzed. Experimental results showed possibility of application of time-domain passivity control for rate control in certain range.