In this paper the control of robotic manipulation is investigated. Manipulation system analysis and control are approached in a general framework. The geometric aspect of manipulation system dynamics is strongly emphasized by using the well developed techniques of geometric multivariable control theory. The focus is on the (functional) control of the crucial outputs in robotic manipulation, namely the reachable internal forces and the rigid-body object motions. A geometric control procedure is outlined...

This paper deals with the problem of controlling contact forces in robotic manipulators with general kinematics. The main focus is on control of grasping contact forces exerted on the manipulated object. A visco-elastic model for contacts is adopted. The robustness of the decoupling controller with respect to the uncertainties affecting system parameters is investigated. Sufficient conditions for the invariance of decoupling action under perturbations on the contact stiffness and damping parameters...