Control and instrumention equipment for a dexterous haptic interface

触觉设备是双向的人机界面，允许用户在远程和/或不可访问的环境中借助机器人操作器触摸和操作对象。在虚拟现实应用中，用户可以使用触觉界面与虚拟对象和环境进行交互。触觉设备与其他人机接口的不同之处在于它们向用户提供力反馈的能力。现有的触觉接口受到其通过固定接口(如旋钮、触针和顶针万向节)的单接触点反馈的限制。然而，研究人员最近开发的一项技术使多个手指能够抓住和操纵真实或虚拟的物体，这是对人类触觉体验的更真实的反映。这种灵巧的触觉渲染能力对于触觉接口在广泛的应用中的成功是必不可少的，这些应用包括机器人辅助手术和远程外科手术、医疗程序的训练模拟、空间遥控机器人、计算机辅助设计和虚拟原型。这项由这笔拨款支持的研究将探索这些应用中人机协调的先进控制方法。

Haptic devices are bi-directional human-to-machine interfaces that allow users to touch and manipulate objects in remote and/or inaccessible environments with the aid of robotic manipulators. In virtual reality applications, users can employ haptic interfaces to interact with virtual objects and environments.  What differentiates haptic devices from other human-to-machine interfaces is their ability to provide force feedback to the user. Existing haptic interfaces are limited by their single-contact-point feedback through fixed interfaces such as knobs, styli, and thimble gimbals. However, a recently developed technology by the investigator enables multi-finger grasping and manipulation of real or virtual objects, a more realistic reflection of human haptic experience. Such dexterous haptic rendering ability is essential to the success of haptic interfaces in a wide range of applications including robotic-assisted surgery and telesurgery, training simulation of medical procedures, space telerobotics, computer-aided-design and virtual prototyping. The research enabled by this grant will explore advanced control methods for human-machine coordination in these applications.