D.J. Braun, M. Howard, and S. Vijayakumar, Exploiting variable stiffness in explosive movement tasks, Robotics: Science and Systems, Los Angeles, USA, June/July 2011.

This paper applies optimal control to coordinate torque and stiffness profiles for explosive robotic tasks such as throwing, hitting, or jumping. By tailoring time-varying impedance strategies to task objectives and system dynamics, the method leverages the energy storage capability of variable stiffness actuators to improve performance. The approach is validated through simulations and hardware experiments on a robot with adjustable compliance.

Why it matters: Compliant actuation offers efficiency advantages but is difficult to control in highly dynamic tasks. This work shows how optimal control can exploit variable stiffness to enhance performance in explosive movements, providing insights for the design of agile, energy-efficient robots.