Contact force limiting with haptic feedback for a tele-operated robot

A method of operating an industrial robotic system including a robotic arm and a tool operatively coupled to the robotic arm, the method comprising:

• operating an operator input device structured to move in response to operator-applied force and to selectably output feedback force to the operator;
• receiving, with a first computing system, input from the operator input control device indicating position or movement of the operator input device;
• processing the received input with the first computing system;
• transmitting an output from processing the received input to a second computing system;
• processing, with the second computing system, the output to generate a robot control command subject to a force constraint, the force constraint being imposed using a dual threshold hysteresis control structured to activate a force limit if the output exceeds a first threshold and to deactivate the force limit if the output is below a second threshold, the second threshold being below the first threshold;
• transmitting the robot control command to the industrial robotic system;
• operating the industrial robotic system using the robot control command;
• receiving, with the first computing system, feedback from the industrial robotic system indicating force encountered by the tool;
• processing, with the first computing system, the feedback to compute a feedback force;
• outputting, with the second computing system, a feedback force command to the operator input device;
• and
• applying the feedback force to the operator in response to the feedback force command.

A control system for a remote industrial robot system including a robotic arm structured to move in response to a robot control command, a tool operatively coupled with the robotic arm, and feedback device structured to provide feedback from which force encountered by the tool may be determined, the control system comprising:

• an operator input device structured to move in response to operator-applied force and to selectably output feedback force to the operator;
• and
• a computing system structured to
• receive input from the operator input device indicating position or movement of the operator input device,
• process the received input to provide the robot control command subject to a force constraint, the force constraint being imposed using a dual threshold hysteresis control structured to activate a force limit if the output exceeds a first threshold and to deactivate the force limit if the output is below a second threshold, the second threshold being below the first threshold,
• output the command to the industrial robot system,
• receive the feedback from the feedback device,
• calculate a feedback force using the feedback, and
• output a feedback force command effective to cause the input device to apply the feedback force to the operator,
• wherein the computing system comprises a local computing system in communication with the operator input device and a remote computing system in communication with the industrial robot system, and
• wherein the local computing system is in communication with the remote computing system by way of a communication link.