1 Introduction

Abstract

The problem of position control of robot manipulators was addressed in the 1970’s to develop control schemes capable of controlling a manipulator’s motion in its workspace. In the 1980’s, extension of robotic applications to new non-conventional areas, such as space, underwater, hazardous environments, and micro-robotics brought new challenges for robotics researchers. The goal was to develop control schemes capable of controlling a robot in performing tasks that required: (1) interaction with its environment; (2) dexterity comparable to that provided by the human arm.