mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

CompVLA: A Variable Compliance Vision-Language-Action Model for Contact-rich Manipulation

arXiv 2609.23614 ↗First posted 20 Sep 2026cs.ROcited by 0

On the map: Vision-language-action models → Tactile, force-aware and humanoid VLA

Abstract (arXiv)

Contact-rich manipulation, requiring robots to regulate not only motion but also how they yield to external forces, has emerged as the next frontier for Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models. However, existing VLAs output purely kinematic commands, degrading performance on real-world contact-rich tasks. In this paper, we introduce CompVLA, a unified VLA framework that jointly predicts motion and stiffness matrix from RGB and language inputs. Our approach augments the conventional architecture with a dedicated Compliance Expert, which outputs time-varying stiffness and virtual displacement profiles executed via geometric impedance control. We demonstrate that CompVLA achieves the highest average success rate across diverse contact-rich tasks, outperforming both vanilla and compliance-aware VLA baselines, with ablations confirming each component is essential.

Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Tactile, force-aware and humanoid VLA, one of 13 directions in Vision-language-action models. Builds on 22 of its 31 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 20 Sep 2026.

Builds on

22 of 31 references.

Closest ancestors · 2

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2025TA-VLA: Elucidating the Design Space of Torque-aware Vision-Language-Action Models9 Sep
  2. 2025ForceVLA: Enhancing VLA Models with a Force-aware MoE for Contact-rich Manipulation28 May

Other references · 20

  1. 2023RT-2: Vision-Language-Action Models Transfer Web Knowledge to Robotic Controlcited by 2,993
  2. 2024OpenVLA: An Open-Source Vision-Language-Action Modelcited by 2,777
  3. 2023Diffusion Policy: Visuomotor Policy Learning via Action Diffusioncited by 2,730
  4. 2024π0: A Vision-Language-Action Flow Model for General Robot Controlcited by 2,297
  5. 2022RT-1: Robotics Transformer for Real-World Control at Scalecited by 2,007
  6. 2025π0.5: a Vision-Language-Action Model with Open-World Generalizationcited by 1,653
  7. 2023Learning Fine-Grained Bimanual Manipulation with Low-Cost Hardwarecited by 1,490
  8. 2024Octo: An Open-Source Generalist Robot Policycited by 1,427
  9. 2023Open X-Embodiment: Robotic Learning Datasets and RT-X Modelscited by 849
  10. 2025SmolVLA: A Vision-Language-Action Model for Affordable and Efficient Roboticscited by 507
  11. 2024Universal Manipulation Interface: In-The-Wild Robot Teaching Without In-The-Wild Robotscited by 373
  12. 2026LeRobot: An Open-Source Library for End-to-End Robot Learningcited by 70
8 more
  1. 2025VTLA: Vision-Tactile-Language-Action Model with Preference Learning for Insertion Manipulationcited by 54
  2. 2024Adaptive Compliance Policy: Learning Approximate Compliance for Diffusion Guided Controlcited by 36
  3. 2026ForceVLA2: Unleashing Hybrid Force-Position Control with Force Awareness for Contact-Rich Manipulationcited by 19
  4. 2020Variable impedance control and learning -- A reviewcited by 13
  5. 2024Learning Variable Compliance Control From a Few Demonstrations for Bimanual Robot with Haptic Feedback Teleoperation Systemcited by 13
  6. 2024Learning Diffusion Policies from Demonstrations For Compliant Contact-rich Manipulationcited by 6
  7. 2022Geometric Impedance Control on SE(3) for Robotic Manipulatorscited by 5
  8. 2024A Comparison Between Lie Group- and Lie Algebra- Based Potential Functions for Geometric Impedance Controlcited by 2

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  1. 2026CompliantVLA-adaptor: VLM-Guided Variable Impedance Action for Safe Contact-Rich Manipulation
  2. 2026CRAFT: Adapting VLA Models to Contact-rich Manipulation via Force-aware Curriculum Fine-tuning
  3. 2026FAVLA: A Force-Adaptive Fast-Slow VLA model for Contact-Rich Robotic Manipulation
  4. 2026CR-VLA-Force: Learning Control-aware Compliance VLA Model for Robust Contact-rich Robotic Manipulation
  5. 2026FD-VLA: Force-Distilled Vision-Language-Action Model for Contact-Rich Manipulation
  6. 2026Opt2VLA: Force-Aware Vision-Language-Action for Contact-Rich Humanoid Whole-Body Manipulation
  7. 2026PaCo-VLA: Passivity-Shielded Compliance Prior for Contact-Rich Vision-Language-Action Manipulation
  8. 2026ForceDelta-VLA: Distilling Force-Conditioned ActionCorrections for Contact-Rich Manipulation