In this paper we present a hybrid control scheme, combining the advantages of task-space and joint-space control. The controller is based on a human-like adaptive design, which minimises both control effort and tracking error. Our novel hybrid adaptive controller has been tested in extensive simulations, in a scenario where a Baxter robot manipulator is affected by external disturbances in the form of interaction with the environment and tool-like end-effector perturbations. The results demonstrated improved performance in the hybrid controller over both of its component parts. In addition, we introduce a novel method for online adaptation of learning parameters, using the fuzzy control formalism to utilise expert knowledge from the experimenter. This mechanism of meta-learning induces further improvement in performance and avoids the need for tuning through trial testing.

The dynamic model of a robot is important to find the relation between the joint actuator torques and the resulting motion. There are two common methods to do this: The Lagrange formulation, which gives a closed form of the dynamic equations, and the Newton-Euler method, which uses a recursive form. Presented in this paper is a formulation of the Lagrange-Euler (L-E) equations representing the dynamics of the Baxter manipulator. These equations are then verified against torque trajectories recorded from the Baxter robot. Experimental studies show that torques generated using the L-E method closely match recorded actuator torques. All of Baxter's kinematic and dynamic parameters are presented here for easy future reference, and the full symbolic dynamics are made available online for closed loop analysis by the community.

Haptic teleoperation is typically realized through wired networking technologies (e.g., Ethernet) which guarantee performance of control loops closed over the communication medium, particularly in terms of latency, jitter, and reliability. This demonstration shows the capability of conducting haptic teleoperation over a novel low-power wireless control technology, called GALLOP, in a nuclear decommissioning use-case. It shows the viability of GALLOP for meeting latency, timeliness, and safety requirements of haptic teleoperation. Evaluation conducted as part of the demonstration reveals that GALLOP, which has been implemented over an off-the-shelf Bluetooth 5.0 chipset, can be a replacement for conventional wired TCP/IP connection, and outperforms WiFi-based wireless solution in same use-case.

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