Experimental Evaluation of a Collision Avoidance Control for Redundant Manipulators

This paper presents the implementation and testing of an obstacle avoidance algorithm for redundant kinematics manipulators, focusing on its experimental implementation on the KUKA LBR iiwa robot. The algorithm, previously validated in simulations, is based on the null space method and a closed-loop inverse kinematics control law, enabling real-time updates of the robot’s motion to avoid collisions with dynamic obstacles. The document outlines the hardware/software architecture of the robotic system, featuring an external controller implemented on a standard PC communicating with the robot controller via TCP/IP protocol. The control execution rate ensures a smooth system control. A test case is presented to assess the method’s applicability to a real system and discuss key implementation parameters.