forceregulation

Forceregulation is the process of maintaining or achieving a prescribed level of force within a system by comparing measured force to a target value and adjusting actuators accordingly. It is distinct from position or velocity control in that the primary objective is to regulate contact or internal forces rather than to reach a spatial configuration alone. The concept is used across engineering, robotics, and physiology to manage interactions with objects, surfaces, and tissues.

In robotics and automation, force regulation relies on sensors such as force/torque sensors or tactile arrays, combined with feedback controllers. Common approaches include direct force control, where actuator commands are adjusted to drive the measured force toward the target, and impedance or admittance control, which modulates the system’s dynamic interaction with the environment. Model-based methods, adaptive control, and robust control strategies address uncertainties in contact conditions. Key metrics include force-tracking error, stability margins, and response time.

In biomechanics and physiology, force regulation refers to how the nervous system modulates muscle activation to produce force to accomplish tasks, maintaining limb stability or transmitting loads. This involves motor unit recruitment, firing rates, and neuromuscular fatigue considerations.

Applications range from industrial grasping and assembly, to robotic-assisted surgery, teleoperation, and haptic devices, where precise force application ensures safety and efficacy. Challenges include nonlinear contact dynamics, friction, delays, sensor noise, and varying stiffness of contacts. Researchers study combined strategies such as impedance control with force feedback to achieve stable, compliant interactions.

See also force control, impedance control, admittance control, tactile sensing, robotics, and haptics.