A modular approach to multi-robot control

The ability to rapidly command multirobot behavior is crucial for the acceptance and effective utilization of multiple robot control. To achieve this, a modular multiple robot control solution is being pursued using the SMART modular control architecture. This paper investigates the development of a new dual-arm kinematics module (DUAL KIN) which allows multiple robots, previously controlled as separate stand-alone systems, to be controlled as a coordinated multirobot system. The DUAL KIN module maps velocity and force information from a center point of interest on a grasped object to the tool centers of each grasping robot. Three-port network equations are used and mapped into the scattering operator domain in a computationally efficient form. Application examples of the DUAL KIN module in multirobot coordinated control are given