Nonlinear Kalman filtering for force-controlled robot tasks. (Q2500944)

The last period is characterized by the presence of ``smart machines'', the robots. One of the actual problems is to improve and extend the autonomy of robots. The present book provides the latest developments in the area of contact modeling, nonlinear parameter estimation and parameter estimation improvement accuracy of robots. To have an idea of the included topics, we give its contents: 1. Introduction; 2. Literature Autonomous Compliant Motion; 3. Literature Survey: Bayesian Probability Theory; 4. Kalman Filters for Nonlinear Systems; 5. The Non-Minimal State Kalman Filter; 6. Contact Modelling; 7. Geometrical Parameter Estimation and KF Recognition; 8. Experiment: A-cube-in-corner Assembly; 9. Task Planning with Active Sensing; 10. General Conclusions; A. The Linear Regression Kalman Filter; B. Non-Minimal State Kalman Filter; C. Frame Transformations; D. Kalman Filtering for Non-Minimal Measurement Models; E. Partial Observations with Kalman Filter; F. A NMSKF Linearising State for the Geometrical Parameter Estimation; G. KF-Observable Parameter Space for Twist and Pose Measurements; References; Index; Symbols, Definitions and Abbreviations. A robot is a system whose input includes the sensors measurements results and whose outputs give the tasks to be performed by the robot. The robot must operate on line and since it must retain only a fraction of the past states, it must operate recursively. The algorithm used to calculate the states is termed as the filter, here the Kalman one. Also, since most of states are known with a certain degree of incertainty, one must use an adequate probabilistic technique, here the Bayesian ones. The book includes an up-to-date bibliography and a lot of numerical examples. The Appendices provide various theoretical complements which are of high interest for researchers working in robotics. The graphics is excellent and the final list of symbols and abbreviations are very useful. The book is an excellent contribution in the area of robotics and although it has not the logic specific for of a long time elaborated volume, it will be without any doubt of high interest for researchers and practitioneers.