A sensor-based approach for motion in contact in task planning

A novel approach based on the use of force sensors for motion in contact with uncertainty in task planning is presented. A neural network monitors the force signals measured by a sensor mounted in the robot wrist. This network is able to learn without need of a teacher the different contact states of the system. The method is intended to work properly in complex real-world situations, for which a geometric analytical model may not be feasible, or too difficult. In this paper the authors study the two-dimensional peg-in-hole problem and a real example of a complex insertion task in a flexible manufacturing system.