A new eRobotics approach: Simulation of adaptable joint admittance control

Adaptable joint admittance in new generation robots will enhance safety, versatility and robustness in human-robot interaction. However, this objective remains a challenging one, partly because of the complex mechanical design requirements of adaptable admittance joints. In this work, we address adaptable joint admittance control from the perspective of simulation-driven engineering. We exploit the comprehensive, unique capabilities of eRobotics to shift adaptable joint admittance control into virtual reality. The main advantage is that the targeted joint dynamics are replicated with substantially less effort and at low costs. Moreover, it can be swiftly applied to a wide range of robot arms, therefore pushing back some of the inherent limitations of real hardware. The approach is well-suited to the understanding of compliance control, the familiarization with future compliant robots as well as training. Results of simulation conducted on a 7 DoF robot manipulator are provided to show the effectiveness of the approach.