A near-minimum time controller for two coordinating robots grasping an object

The development of a near-minimum-time control for two coordinating robots manipulating an object in a workspace is addressed. Optimal control theory is used to derive a feedback controller which will enable the two robots to move an object from one place to another in near-minimum time. A dynamic model for the two robots and the load is established and then linearized using the average dynamics method. The model is continuously updated at every control interval, making it suitable for high-speed applications such as minimum-time problems. Bang-bang control theory in conjunction with synchronization of execution time for each joint is used to derive the near-minimum-time controller. The model and the control law are simulated for two distinct schemes. One is a master-slave configuration of the two robots, and the other is based on an optimal controller for both robots. The simulation results indicate that the proposed controller implemented for both schemes behaves favorably