Non-Newtonian Fluid Based Non-Linear Impedance Control for Robotic Manipulators

The increasing presence of robots in sectors involving physically or mentally unhealthy tasks, such as high-repetition jobs, chemical synthesis, and high-temperature environments, has led to advancements in robotics for tasks requiring complex environmental interaction, such as grinding, polishing, and assembly. However, the structural rigidity of most industrial robots, which contrasts with the flexibility of human muscles, limits their effectiveness in such tasks. Impedance control, a widely studied framework for managing robot-environment dynamics, has been expanded to address these challenges but struggles with vibrations and collision dynamics. To address these issues without sacrificing flexibility, this study proposes integrating a non-Newtonian fluid-based damping element into impedance control, leveraging fluid dynamics to improve vibration damping and collision safety, enhancing robotic performance in interactive applications.