Sensorless Four-Channel Control Architecture Using Inverse Dynamics Modeling for Human-Scale Bilateral Teleoperation
2026-07-01 • Robotics
Robotics
AI summaryⓘ
The authors improved a common system used for remote controlling robots, called the four-channel teleoperation architecture, which usually needs expensive and noisy sensors to work well. They created a new version that doesn't need those sensors by using a method that predicts robot forces based on its movements. Their tests showed this new system works better than old methods, making it easier for people to control robots precisely and with less effort. They also demonstrated its use in a practical task where a robot arm opens a door while staying in contact with the environment.
four-channel teleoperationbilateral controlinverse dynamicsforce/torque sensorsposition trackingforce trackingtransparencyrobot manipulationWAM robotteleoperation
Authors
Amir Noohian, Dylan Miller, Justin Valentine, Alan Lynch, Martin Jagersand
Abstract
The four-channel teleoperation architecture is a well-established framework for achieving transparency in bilateral systems. However, its performance in human-scale teleoperation is limited by high inertia, modeling challenges, and reliance on noisy and costly force/torque sensors. This paper introduces a sensorless four-channel architecture based on inverse dynamics modeling. The controller is implemented and validated on a customized WAM bilateral teleoperation setup. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms conventional two- and four-channel schemes as well as transparency-enhancement methods, improving position and force tracking, reducing operator effort, and increasing maximum transmittable impedance without external sensors. A door-opening case study involving sustained whole-body contact along the manipulator further demonstrates the effectiveness of the method in realistic human-scale manipulation tasks.