Advances in Learning-Based Robotic Interaction Control: Impedance Control, Teleoperation, and Intelligent Human-Robot Collaboration

Participate in this topic

Submit your idea

You will be redirected to our submission process.

Submit your manuscript summarySubmit your manuscript

About this Research Topic

Submission deadlines

  1. Manuscript Summary Submission Deadline 29 October 2025 | Manuscript Submission Deadline 16 February 2026

  2. This Research Topic is still accepting articles.

    1. Check author guidelines

Background

Historically, impedance control and teleoperation have provided the groundwork for compliant interaction between robots and humans, enabling systems to manage the dynamic interplay between force and motion. However, classical control methods often struggle with unstructured environments, unmodeled uncertainties, and varying human behaviors. The recent convergence of robotics and artificial intelligence has introduced transformative capabilities: learning algorithms, predictive modeling, and adaptive control strategies now allow robots to anticipate human actions, compensate for nonlinearities, and personalize their interaction behaviors. This integration is driving a new generation of intelligent robotic systems that are not only reactive but proactively adapt to dynamic and uncertain environments, enhancing precision, safety, and responsiveness. Within this broader context, applications span industrial automation, service robots, remote manipulation, and biomedical robotics—where AI-driven adaptive control enables personalized rehabilitation, assistive devices, and real-time health monitoring—demonstrating the diversity and impact of intelligent interaction control. Understanding and advancing this integration is critical for the next leap in human-centered robotics.

This Research Topic seeks to highlight cutting-edge advances in enhanced interaction control strategies that address the challenges of real-time interaction, autonomy, and adaptability in human-robot systems. Classical methods such as impedance control and teleoperation are increasingly being complemented by machine learning, reinforcement learning, and predictive modeling—enabling robots to better interpret human intent, handle nonlinear and uncertain dynamics, and facilitate more natural and effective physical collaboration.

We welcome contributions that demonstrate how learning-based impedance control, intelligent teleoperation, and adaptive human-robot collaboration can drive progress not only in therapeutic and assistive robotics—through personalized rehabilitation, real-time health monitoring, and user-specific adaptation—but also in broader applications of automation and physical interaction. These include industrial co-robots, remote manipulation systems, and interactive service robots.

While a strong emphasis is placed on biomedical applications due to their growing significance, we equally encourage interdisciplinary research targeting interaction control algorithms that are safer, smarter, and more robust across diverse real-world environments.

This Research Topic encourages high-quality contributions at the intersection of artificial intelligence and interaction control including human-robot interaction, learning-based control, and adaptive physical collaboration. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

1. Impedance and admittance control strategies for compliant and responsive physical interaction.
2. Teleoperation systems enhanced with adaptive control, predictive modeling, or user-in-the-loop feedback.
3. Reinforcement and imitation learning applied to dynamic and interactive control tasks.
4. Human intent recognition and intent-driven adaptation for personalized interaction.
5. Adaptive and intelligent human-robot interaction strategies integrating control and AI techniques.
6. Shared autonomy and semi-autonomous control in assistive, therapeutic, and remote operation scenarios.
7. Stability, robustness, and safety assurance in learning-based control architectures.
8. Biomedical robotics applications, including rehabilitation devices, assistive exoskeletons, and prosthetics.
9. Hybrid control systems combining classical methods with AI for effective human-robot collaboration.
10. Physical interaction and collaboration in unstructured and dynamic environments.

We particularly encourage submissions demonstrating experimental validation, real-world deployments, or interdisciplinary approaches combining control systems, robotics, biomedical engineering, and AI-based modeling.

Topic editor Hamza Khan is employed by Ronfic Co. Ltd. The other Topic Editors report no competing interests related to this Research Topic.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

  • Brief Research Report
  • Data Report
  • Editorial
  • General Commentary
  • Hypothesis and Theory
  • Methods
  • Mini Review
  • Opinion
  • Original Research

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

  • Brief Research Report
  • Data Report
  • Editorial
  • General Commentary
  • Hypothesis and Theory
  • Methods
  • Mini Review
  • Opinion
  • Original Research
  • Perspective
  • Policy and Practice Reviews
  • Review
  • Systematic Review
  • Technology and Code

Keywords: Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), Physical Environment Interaction, Impedance Control, Teleoperation, Artificial Intelligence in Robotics, Learning-Based Control, Intelligent Physical Collaboration, Human Intent Recognition, Adaptive Robotic Systems, Biomed

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Topic editors

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

     

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

     

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.

     

Manuscripts can be submitted to this Research Topic via the main journal or any other participating journal.

Submit your idea

You will be redirected to our submission process.

Submit your manuscript summarySubmit your manuscript

Share on WeChat

Scan with WeChat to share this article