Motion Regulation Solutions to Holding and Moving an Object for Single-Leader–Dual-Follower Teleoperation

This article provides solutions for a single-leader–dual-follower teleoperation system to collaboratively transport an object. First, to regulate the direct-teleoperated follower robot (DFR), we employ a relative pose transformation algorithm, based on “refixing” the leader and DFR together, to enable that the operator can ergonomically guide DFR without requiring any specific initial position, ensuring a higher teleoperation precision at the same time. Second, to regulate the assistive follower robot (AFR), we provide an efficient technique to acquire the correct orientation to achieve holding. In addition, we devise an adjustable artificial potential field method to autonomously regulate AFR's position to a ready-to-hold position, where the operator's motion is involved. At last, based on the combination of the autoregressive model and the impedance model, we generate a reference trajectory for AFR to follow, which enables the followers to hold a rigid or a deformable object with a desired contact force. Simulations and experimental results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.