Model predictive impedance control: application to human walking model

Biological motor control systems employ a general control strategy to perform different tasks, unlike robotic systems in which a task-oriented control strategy is usually wanted. Recently, the authors proposed a general-purpose model for control of a joint movement (F. Towhidkhah et al., 7th Conf. on Biomed. Eng., Tehran, Iran, p. 134-43, Dec. 1994). The generality of this model is based on the combination of three key factors: joint impedance control, model predictive controller, and external disturbance input. These bases lend the model to be applied to different types of movements. In the present paper, the application of this model to a biped model is reported. The computer simulation results show an acceptable performance of the model in dealing with this unstable system.