Abstract
This paper describes a method of collision detection and control of a single-link flexible arm using a couple of state estimators. In order to improve the control performance of the flexible arm with the innovation based collision detection system when unlooked-for obstacles collide with the side of the arm, we introduce a robust optimal filter, which decouples undesirable effect of the collision force from the estimation error. The controller generates a control torque based on the state estimate using the robust optimal filter. Collision detection is then realized by using the innovation of a Kalman filter. The proposed system enables to avoid that the control performance is deteriorated when collisions occur.
