A hybrid position–rate teleoperation system

Position resolution is a major problem in teleoperation applications with significant disparity between master and slave workspace. While rate mode control is suitable for slave free motion operations, it poses significant stability and performance challenges for task manipulation. In this paper, we propose a hybrid control scheme that offers seamless transition between position and rate control modes based on the environment location information collected from a range sensor. The system incorporates the strengths of position and rate control modes while masking their shortcomings. Experiments to determine the viability of this method are carried out on a single degree-of-freedom teleoperation test-bed. •A hybrid rate–position teleoperation system offering workspace expansion•The hybrid system offers seamless transition between position and rate control modes•A weighted mix of position and rate signals is provided in the transition region•Mode switch is based on the environment location collected from a range sensor•Stability and transparency analysis for the two-port network model is obtained