Implementation of a hybrid force-position controller using sliding mode techniques

The design and the implementation of a hybrid force-position control scheme are presented. Joint level dynamic decoupling is performed by a hardware controller using feedforward plus sliding mode terms, and task-level decoupling is obtained by kinematic transformations. Simple linear state-feedback loops act in the task space. A careful design and some simplifying assumptions allow reduction of the hardware requirements, leading to a low-cost solution. Experimental results are presented validating the control scheme and the design hypothesis. Some critical aspects of the control loops are discussed. Future developments relating to improvements in disturbance rejection and applications are considered