Control design for transparent teleoperators with model parameter variation

This paper discusses control design issues for a four channel teleoperator system to be used in sensitive skullbase operations. Bounds on the parameters in a dynamic model of the combined master and human finger system are identified. Optimal transparency conditions are derived for the interaction channels (normally referred to as communication channels in the teleoperator community). One of the four channels is found to contain a parameter uncertainty, this interaction channel is set to zero. This gives the control designer an easier design task where all parameter uncertainties can be handled in the local master control loop. The local master control loop is designed by using loop shaping techniques. The paper presents a stability analysis for the resulting three channel teleoperation system and experimental results to support the theoretical work.