Contact-Consistent Interaction Dynamics Normalization for Predictive Physical Human--Robot Interaction

Abstract

Safe physical human--robot interaction on floating-base robots requires interaction regulation under changing contact constraints. We develop a contact-consistent normalization in which the residual end-effector channel is represented as a linear double integrator in acceleration coordinates. Both discrete prediction matrices are independent of configuration and support mode; posture and contact enter only through task-inertia force recovery and constraints. The controller combines a constant-Hessian receding-horizon QP, an acceleration-disturbance observer, and a priority-consistent realization. Classical operational-space impedance is shown to be the unconstrained infinite-horizon limit. MuJoCo experiments on a 17-DOF biped and a Menagerie-derived Unitree G1 model evaluate sustained forces, transmitted shocks, and scheduled contact-model changes. The observer sustains near-offset-free tracking across a genuine contact-set switch and a scheduled support-mode transition, while disturbance estimation---not contact consistency alone---is the dominant source of fixed-stance accuracy; covariance inflation gives only scenario-dependent transient benefit.