Predictive controller design for bilateral teleoperation systems with time varying delays

In this paper, a new predictive approach is proposed for the impedance control of the bilateral teleoperation systems. In this approach, two predictors with the same structures are applied in the controller design both in master and slave sides. The controller can use the transmitting signals at current time, which are estimated by the predictors, instead of the measurable delayed signals only. Hence the influence of the delay on the whole system can be minimized and performance can be improved. System knowledge such as the human operator dynamics, the measurement of the instantaneous time varying delays and the environmental impedance model are incorporated as well. The system stability and the convergence of the proposed approach are analyzed.