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Main Authors: Fan, Zehua, Gao, Feng, Chen, Zhijun, Yin, Yunpeng, Yang, Limin, Xi, Qingxing, Yang, En, Luo, Xuefeng
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.03246
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author Fan, Zehua
Gao, Feng
Chen, Zhijun
Yin, Yunpeng
Yang, Limin
Xi, Qingxing
Yang, En
Luo, Xuefeng
author_facet Fan, Zehua
Gao, Feng
Chen, Zhijun
Yin, Yunpeng
Yang, Limin
Xi, Qingxing
Yang, En
Luo, Xuefeng
contents Guiding the visually impaired in complex environments requires real-time two-way interaction and safety assurance. We propose a Force-Compliance Model Predictive Control (FC-MPC) and Robot-User Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) for force-compliant navigation and obstacle avoidance in Hexapod guide robots. FC-MPC enables two-way interaction by estimating user-applied forces and moments using the robot's dynamic model and the recursive least squares (RLS) method, and then adjusting the robot's movements accordingly, while Robot-User CBFs ensure the safety of both the user and the robot by handling static and dynamic obstacles, and employ weighted slack variables to overcome feasibility issues in complex dynamic environments. We also adopt an Eight-Way Connected DBSCAN method for obstacle clustering, reducing computational complexity from O(n2) to approximately O(n), enabling real-time local perception on resource-limited on-board robot computers. Obstacles are modeled using Minimum Bounding Ellipses (MBEs), and their trajectories are predicted through Kalman filtering. Implemented on the HexGuide robot, the system seamlessly integrates force compliance, autonomous navigation, and obstacle avoidance. Experimental results demonstrate the system's ability to adapt to user force commands while guaranteeing user and robot safety simultaneously during navigation in complex environments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_03246
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Force-Compliance MPC and Robot-User CBFs for Interactive Navigation and User-Robot Safety in Hexapod Guide Robots
Fan, Zehua
Gao, Feng
Chen, Zhijun
Yin, Yunpeng
Yang, Limin
Xi, Qingxing
Yang, En
Luo, Xuefeng
Robotics
Guiding the visually impaired in complex environments requires real-time two-way interaction and safety assurance. We propose a Force-Compliance Model Predictive Control (FC-MPC) and Robot-User Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) for force-compliant navigation and obstacle avoidance in Hexapod guide robots. FC-MPC enables two-way interaction by estimating user-applied forces and moments using the robot's dynamic model and the recursive least squares (RLS) method, and then adjusting the robot's movements accordingly, while Robot-User CBFs ensure the safety of both the user and the robot by handling static and dynamic obstacles, and employ weighted slack variables to overcome feasibility issues in complex dynamic environments. We also adopt an Eight-Way Connected DBSCAN method for obstacle clustering, reducing computational complexity from O(n2) to approximately O(n), enabling real-time local perception on resource-limited on-board robot computers. Obstacles are modeled using Minimum Bounding Ellipses (MBEs), and their trajectories are predicted through Kalman filtering. Implemented on the HexGuide robot, the system seamlessly integrates force compliance, autonomous navigation, and obstacle avoidance. Experimental results demonstrate the system's ability to adapt to user force commands while guaranteeing user and robot safety simultaneously during navigation in complex environments.
title Force-Compliance MPC and Robot-User CBFs for Interactive Navigation and User-Robot Safety in Hexapod Guide Robots
topic Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.03246