Human-to-Robot Object Handover using a Behavioural Position-based Force Control Approach

This paper presents a position-based force control scheme for human-to-robot object handover. The development of a framework for the robotic behavioural control strategy was initially based on the understanding dynamically and kinematically on an equivalent human-human object handover task. A real-world object handover task has been carried out to develop the conceptual guideline for a human-like behaviour-based robot. The control approach provides feasible and reliable solution for performing contact tasks between the human and robot. The control scheme is made up of an outer force control loop and an internal position-based control loop. Additionally, proportional plus integral (PI) and fuzzy logic control (FLC) algorithms were adopted to the compliance control the robot end effector's position and interactive force in real-time. The quantitative measurements of the controlled robot performance based on PI ad FLC can be considered acceptable for human-to-robot object handover since the robot can receive the object from the human in a safe, reliable and timely manner.