Compliant Force Control for Robots: A Survey

Minglei Zhu, Dawei Gong, Yuyang Zhao, Jiaoyuan Chen, Jun Qi and Shijie Song ()
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Minglei Zhu: Institue of Smart City and Intelligent Transportation, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
Dawei Gong: School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
Yuyang Zhao: School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
Jiaoyuan Chen: School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
Jun Qi: School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610225, China
Shijie Song: Institue of Smart City and Intelligent Transportation, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China

Mathematics, 2025, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-22

Abstract: Compliant force control is a fundamental capability for enabling robots to interact safely and effectively with dynamic and uncertain environments. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of compliant force control strategies, intending to enhance safety, adaptability, and precision in applications such as physical human–robot interaction, robotic manipulation, and collaborative tasks. The review begins with a classification of compliant control methods into passive and active approaches, followed by a detailed examination of direct force control techniques—including hybrid and parallel force/position control—and indirect methods such as impedance and admittance control. Special emphasis is placed on advanced compliant control strategies applied to structurally complex robotic systems, including aerial, mobile, cable-driven, and bionic robots. In addition, intelligent compliant control approaches are systematically analyzed, encompassing neural networks, fuzzy logic, sliding mode control, and reinforcement learning. Sensorless compliance techniques are also discussed, along with emerging trends in hardware design and intelligent control methodologies. This survey provides a holistic view of the current landscape, identifies key technical challenges, and outlines future research directions for achieving more robust, intelligent, and adaptive compliant force control in robotic systems.

Keywords: compliant force control; indirect force control; direct force control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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