Robust high performance bilateral teleoperation under bounded time-varying dynamics

The control design for bilateral teleoperation systems represents a challenge in finding the proper balance in the inherent tradeoff between transparency and stability. To address this problem, we propose a methodology in which we develop a parametric model of the teleoperation system. Subsequently, we exploit robust control techniques based on linear matrix inequalities to design controllers that aim to achieve a predefined performance, and are robust to bounded but arbitrarily fast-time-varying parametric uncertainties. We present analysis, simulation, and experimental results of the designed controller, thus showing that the assumptions made during modeling are appropriate and the effectiveness of the method to tradeoff perfect transparency and stability.