Control of Robots in Physical Interaction with Humans
Download in PDF- Lecturer: Mahdi Khoramshahi ()
- Course code:
- Student workload: 12 h of lectures, 2 h of tutorials, 4 h of labs
- Credits: 3 ECTS
- Specialization tracks: ROBOT (elective) SI MeDH (elective)
- Semester offered: S1 S2 S3 S4
- Language of instruction: French English
- Targeted audience: Eng. Sc. department Other :
- Localization : PMC Campus Other :
Course Overview
Collaborative robotics and physical human-robot interaction (pHRI), compliant control, shared autonomy and user-centered robotics.
Mots-clés : pHRI, impedance control, admittance control, shared control, shared autonomy, intention detection, collaborative robotics, human-aware planning, compliance, cobotics
Prerequisites
Students should have previously acquired the following prerequisites to follow this course:
- Modeling and dynamics of robotic manipulators
- Control of robotic systems (joint-space and task-space control)
- Fundamentals of linear algebra and dynamical systems
- Concepts of stability (Lyapunov)
- Programming (Python / MATLAB)
- Basic concepts of motion planning (optional)
Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the challenges and applications of physical human-robot interaction
- Identify safety constraints in collaborative robotics
- Model physical interactions between humans and robots
- Design an impedance controller
- Design an admittance controller
- Analyze the stability and passivity of systems in physical interaction
- Implement a shared-control architecture
- Understand and compare different intent-detection strategies
- Integrate adaptation mechanisms into robot control
- Analyze human-aware planning methods
- Implement a simple collaborative-robot system in simulation
- Present and analyze a scientific paper on interactive robotics
Indicative Teaching Sequence and Methods
| Week | C/TD/TP* | Content | Preparation | Learn.\ outc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | C1 | Introduction to pHRI + safety | Read the handbook chapter | AAV1-2 |
| S2 | C2 | Impedance control | Review robot dynamics | AAV3-4 |
| S3 | C3 | Advanced admittance and compliance | Read the provided paper | AAV4-5 |
| S4 | TD | Impedance/admittance + stability | Analytical exercises | AAV4-6 |
| S5 | TP | Impedance implementation (Drake simulator) | Python requis | AAV4-6,11 |
| S6 | C4 | Shared control | Read the provided paper | AAV7 |
| S7 | C5 | Intent detection and adaptation | Read the provided paper | AAV8 |
| S8 | C6 | Planning and AI for pHRI | Read the provided paper | AAV10 |
| S9 | Presentation - Papers | Student literature review: presentation of scientific papers in the field | Oral presentation | AAV2,6,8,10,12 |
| S10 | Project | Independent work (outside scheduled sessions) | AAV4-5,7,11 | |
| S11 | Project | Independent work (outside scheduled sessions) | AAV4-5,7,11 | |
| S12 | Presentation - Project | Demo + code | AAV4-5,7,11 |
- C/TD/TP respectively corresponds to lectures, tutorials and lab sessions.
Sequence of the unit
Lectures introduce the fundamental concepts of physical human-robot interaction, followed by tutorials focused on modeling and stability analysis.
Practical sessions involve implementing impedance and interaction controllers in a simulated environment (Drake).
A two-person mini-project integrates the concepts covered in class through the development of an interactive system (compliant control or shared control).
A scientific-paper presentation completes the course by developing critical-analysis skills.
Indicative Assessment of Intended Learning Outcomes (1st session)
| Week | Individ./group | In-person/remote | Type of exam | Evaluated outcomes | Scale % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1-S9 | Individual | In-person | Other | 10% | |
| S5 | Group | In-person | TP | AAV4-6,11 | 30% |
| S9 | Group | In-person | Other | AAV2,6,8,10,12 | 20% |
| S12 | Group | In-person | Other | AAV4-5,7,11 | 40% |
2nde session
| Session | Individ./group | In-person/remote | Type of exam | Evaluated outcomes | Scale % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Individual | In-person | Written exam | AAV 1-10 | 100% |
Bibliographic references
- Haddadin & Croft, Physical Human-Robot Interaction, Springer Handbook of Robotics
- Hogan, Impedance Control: An Approach to Manipulation
Date of generation of this unit description: 06/10/2026
