Finite-Time Interactive Control of Robots with Multiple Interaction Modes

This paper proposes a finite-time multi-modal robotic control strategy for physical human–robot interaction. The proposed multi-modal controller consists of a modified super-twisting-based finite-time control term that is designed in each interaction mode and a continuity-guaranteed control term. The finite-time control term guarantees finite-time achievement of the desired impedance dynamics in active interaction mode (AIM), makes the tracking error of the reference trajectory converge to zero in finite time in passive interaction mode (PIM), and also guarantees robotic motion stop in finite time in safety-stop mode (SSM). Meanwhile, the continuity-guaranteed control term guarantees control input continuity and steady interaction modes transition. The finite-time closed-loop control stability and the control effectiveness is validated by Lyapunov-based theoretical analysis and simulations on a robot manipulator.