Limiting arm forces and torques

A system for a robot including an articulated arm attached to a base, the system comprising:

• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
• generating a joint-torque-limit model for the articulated arm based on allowable joint torque sets corresponding to a current configuration of the base;
• receiving a first requested joint torque set for a first arm pose of the articulated arm;
• determining, using the joint-torque-limit model, an optimized joint torque set corresponding to the first requested joint torque set;
• receiving a second requested joint torque set for a second arm pose of the articulated arm;
• generating an adjusted joint torque set by adjusting the second requested joint torque set based on the optimized joint torque set;
• and
• sending the adjusted joint torque set to the articulated arm.

A computer-implemented method that, when executed by data processing hardware of a robot including an articulated arm attached to a base, causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:

• obtaining a requested joint torque set for an arm pose of the articulated arm;
• obtaining a joint-torque-limit model for the articulated arm based on allowable joint torque sets corresponding to a current configuration of the base;
• determining whether the articulated arm is in contact with an external object;
• when the articulated arm is not in contact with an external object, executing the requested joint torque set at the articulated arm;
• and
• when the articulated arm is in contact with an external object:
• adjusting the requested joint torque set for the arm pose such that the adjusted joint torque set is within the joint-torque-limit model;
• and
• executing the adjusted joint torque set at the articulated arm.