Method and apparatus for automatic control of a humanoid robot

A controller for a robotic system, wherein the system includes a humanoid robot having a plurality of robotic joints adapted for force control with respect to an object being acted upon by the humanoid robot, and a graphical user interface (GUI) electrically connected to the controller that is adapted for receiving an input signal from a user, the controller comprising:

• a host machine having memory;
• and
• an algorithm executable from the memory by the host machine to thereby control the plurality of joints using an impedance-based control framework, wherein the impedance-based control framework includes a function of commanded inertia, damping, and stiffness matrices;
• wherein execution of the algorithm by the host machine provides at least one of an object level, end-effector level, and joint space-level of control of the humanoid robot in response to the input signal into the GUI, the input signal including at least a desired input force to be imparted to the object;
• and
• wherein the host machine is configured to switch between impedance control on the object, the end-effector, and the joint level when a user selects, via the input signal to the GUI, a desired combination of the end-effectors.

A method for controlling a robotic system including a humanoid robot having a plurality of joints and end-effectors adapted for imparting a force to an object, a controller, and a graphical user interface (GUI) electrically connected to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted for receiving an input signal from the GUI, the method comprising:

• receiving the input signal via the GUI;
• processing the input signal using the controller to thereby control the plurality of joints and end-effectors, wherein processing the input signal includes using an impedance-based control framework to provide object level, end-effector level, and joint space-level control of the humanoid robot;
• and
• automatically switching between a position control mode and a force control mode via the controller when the user provides a desired input force as the input signal via the GUI, and between impedance control at one of the object, end-effector, and joint levels when the user selects a desired combination of end-effectors of the humanoid robot as the input signal via the GUI.