When a robot exerts physical force on something, a “force” naturally arises between the object and the robot. As the tasks required of robots become more advanced, the need for delicate force adjustments is increasing. Although force adjustment is fundamental and crucial, robots unfortunately struggle with fine-tuning force. Normally, objects do not warp, so their positions do not suddenly change drastically. However, forces can change instantaneously. Additionally, force cannot be seen with the eye. These differences contribute to the difficulty of control. While most robotics textbooks mention force control, the technology has not yet completely overcome the challenges mentioned earlier. Therefore, our laboratory is utilizing our unique technologies, including MVDC, to improve force control techniques, which are foundational to robotics.
Stable Contact and Force Control in Unknown Environments
Amid labor shortages in factories, tasks that require delicate force adjustments, such as polishing metal parts and deburring, are increasingly being handled by industrial robots. To realize these tasks, three functions are necessary: position control in the air, the ability to safely contact unknown environments, and accurate force control. In this research, we aim to achieve all three functions with a single control law, enabling smooth transitions from position control in the air to force control after contact.