Adaptive Control Strategies for Coordination and Control of Mutliple Robots

The uncertainty associated with the robot dynamics for performing contact tasks have often necessitated the use of adaptive algorithms. This paper investigates the use of adaptive control and impedance control for a difficult contact task involving multiple robots handling a common heavy object. Simulations are performed using various trajectories in the Cartesian space, and uncertainties associated with payload as well as dynamic characteristics of the robots are considered. Three different trajectories are generated for motion of the object centroid between the same two locations in the Cartesian space. The simulations establish that the adaptive strategies proposed are not only robust to uncertainties in dynamic parameters and load characteristics but also with regard to speed of motion and trajectory alterations that may be necessary for considerations involving path planning and obstacle avoidance.