STTR Phase I: Haptics in Telerobotics for Improved Remote Dexterity

这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是促进触觉--通过触觉操作的机电系统。这项技术可能会提高远程操控系统的性能，使操作类似于徒手操作，并推动新一代机器人工具的发展，使人类能够远程感受环境并与之互动。早期的应用包括将人类置于危险(例如，核、化学、深海、采矿和太空)、复杂(洁净室和手术)或偏远地点(远程维护)的场景。这项技术可能会降低远程工作(包括改善残疾人的无障碍设施)、旅行和专门的当地医护人员的成本。这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目将评估现实触觉和力反馈以及生物启发的触觉反射在远程操纵中的贡献。因为实验心理学家和生理学家已经证明，缺乏触觉感觉信息对人类双手的速度和灵活性是有害的，远程机器人系统将寻求建立这些系统。这项工作旨在通过使触觉对分心和延迟具有健壮性来促进触觉，以提高远程机器人的性能。将开发几种力和触觉反馈、智能触觉反射和控制方案，并在一系列远程机器人任务中进行测试，以评估它们的优点和在候选应用中的适用性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to advance haptics - electromechanical systems that operate through the sense of touch. This technology may improve the performance of telemanipulation systems, making the operation similar to that of bare hands, and advance a new generation of robotic tools allowing humans to remotely feel and interact with environments at a distance. Early applications include scenarios where humans would be placed in dangerous (e.g., nuclear, chemical, deep sea, mining, and space), complicated (clean rooms and surgeries), or remote locations (remote maintenance). This technology may reduce the costs of telework (including improved access for those with disabilities), travel, and specialized, local healthcare workers. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will evaluate the contributions of realistic tactile and force feedback as well as biologically-inspired haptic reflexes in telemanipulation. Because experimental psychologists and physiologists have demonstrated that the absence of tactile sensory information is detrimental to the speed and dexterity of human hands, telerobot systems will seek to build these systems. This work seeks to advance haptics for improved telerobotics performance by making them robust to distraction and latency. Several technologies for force and tactile feedback, intelligent haptic reflexes, and control schemes will be developed and tested in a range of telerobotic tasks to evaluate their merits and suitability in candidate applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.