Distributed Cascade Force Control of Soft-Tactile-Based Multi-robot System for Object Transportation

2024-01-08

IEEE/SICE International Symposium on System Integration

AI Summary

This study addresses the challenge of enabling multiple robots to cooperatively push a rigid object of unknown mass toward a moving target without inter-robot communication. To this end, it proposes a distributed cascaded force control framework based on 360-degree visual soft tactile sensing. By integrating an inner loop for contact force regulation with an outer loop for directional coordination, the system achieves decentralized collaboration relying solely on local perception. This work overcomes the limitations of conventional communication-dependent approaches. Furthermore, through dynamic modeling and Lyapunov stability analysis, it rigorously proves the stability and convergence of the system despite unknown object mass. Both simulations and physical experiments validate the robustness and efficient cooperative capabilities of the proposed method in dynamic target tracking scenarios.

Abstract

In this paper, we present a distributed cascade force control system (DCFC) for multiple robots with the aim of pushing a rigid object towards a desired moving target without their inter-robot communication. These mobile robots are equipped with 360-degree vision-based soft tactile sensors utilized to determine contact location and resultant impact force. By investigating the dynamics of moving rigid objects on the flat, we proposed a distributed cascade control. The inner loop control incorporates contact force and positioning, ensuring the robots' pushing contact and applying the desired force to the object. The outer loop control coordinates the robots to push the object in a desired direction without inter-robot communication, regardless of unknown object mass and friction uncertainty. The stability and convergence of the control system are verified using the Lyapunov stability theory. We also conducted simulation and real-world experiments to validate the performance of the proposed control method, and the experimental results showcase the successful coordination of multiple robots in pushing an object towards a moving desired direction.

Problem

• multi-robot system
• object transportation
• distributed control
• soft tactile sensor
• force control

Innovation

• Distributed cascade force control
• Soft tactile sensors
• Multi-robot coordination
• Inter-robot communication-free
• Lyapunov stability