Intelligent Anthropomorphic Soft Contact Surface Technology with MEMS in Robotics and Human Augmented Systems

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Abstract IIS-9906890Kao, IminSUNY at Stony Brook $103,472 - 12 mos.Intelligent Anthropomorphic Soft Contact Surface Technology with MEMS in Robotics and Human Augmented SystemsThis is the first year funding of a three year continuing award. The objectives of this research are to develop the framework of the smart anthropomorphic contact surface technology (SACST) based upon robotics theories, to employ MEMS devices in the framework as a distributed system, to integrate the sensory information for feedbackand control to impart intelligence, and to implement the framework on a prototype system. The success of this research has potential to revolutionize the way we design and use seats, beds, wheelchair, shoes, and artificial skin for robot arms in the future. SACSTutilizes the soft contact model, which subsumes the well-known Hertzian contact model initially developed in 1882, normal force and pressure distribution at the contact interface, friction limit surface, and stiffness of contact to dynamically reshape the surface through embedded MEMS transducer systems in real time. Such designcan also implement dynamic functions such as massage or tilting of contact surfaces. SACST framework will be employed to develop an in-depth understanding of science and engineering principles, as well as the control of the contact behaviors. Thus, the framework will free up users from such lower level tasks in order that they canconcentrate on higher level tasks. For example, if such surface is implemented in wheelchair design, the user of the chair will be able to focus on high level maneuvering without worrying about the details of empowering intelligence to the seating system. A prototype system will be implemented based on the SACST framework.