The control of robotic manipulation is investigated. Manipulation system analysis and control are approached in a general framework. The geometric aspect of manipulation system dynamics is strongly emphasized by using the well developed techniques of geometric multivariable control theory. The focus is on the control of the crucial outputs in robotic manipulation, namely the reachable internal forces and
the rigid body object motions. A state feedback control procedure is outlined for
decoupling these outputs and nally special attention is devoted to the synthesis of
the state observer.