Design of a six degree-of-freedom haptic hybrid platform manipultor

Thesis (Master)--Izmir Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Izmir, 2010Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 97-103)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishxv, 115 leavesThe word Haptic, based on an ancient Greek word called haptios, means related with touch. As an area of robotics, haptics technology provides the sense of touch for robotic applications that involve interaction with human operator and the environment. The sense of touch accompanied with the visual feedback is enough to gather most of the information about a certain environment. It increases the precision of teleoperation and sensation levels of the virtual reality (VR) applications by exerting physical properties of the environment such as forces, motions, textures. Currently, haptic devices find use in many VR and teleoperation applications. The objective of this thesis is to design a novel Six Degree-of-Freedom (DOF) haptic desktop device with a new structure that has the potential to increase the precision in the haptics technology. First, previously developed haptic devices and manipulator structures are reviewed. Following this, the conceptual designs are formed and a hybrid structured haptic device is designed manufactured and tested. Developed haptic device.s control algorithm and VR application is developed in Matlab© Simulink. Integration of the mechanism with mechanical, electromechanical and electronic components and the initial tests of the system are executed and the results are presented. According to the results, performance of the developed device is discussed and future works are addressed

Teleoperating a mobile manipulator and a free-flying camera from a single haptic device

© 2016 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other worksThe paper presents a novel teleoperation system that allows the simultaneous and continuous command of a ground mobile manipulator and a free flying camera, implemented using an UAV, from which the operator can monitor the task execution in real-time. The proposed decoupled position and orientation workspace mapping allows the teleoperation from a single haptic device with bounded workspace of a complex robot with unbounded workspace. When the operator is reaching the position and orientation boundaries of the haptic workspace, linear and angular velocity components are respectively added to the inputs of the mobile manipulator and the flying camera. A user study on a virtual environment has been conducted to evaluate the performance and the workload on the user before and after proper training. Analysis on the data shows that the system complexity is not an obstacle for an efficient performance. This is a first step towards the implementation of a teleoperation system with a real mobile manipulator and a low-cost quadrotor as the free-flying camera.Accepted versio

Integration of the hybrid-structure haptic interface: HIPHAD v1.0

Design, manufacturing, integration and initial test results of the 6-DoF haptic interface, HIPHAD v1.0, are presented in this paper. The hybrid haptic robot mechanism is composed of a 3-DoF parallel platform manipulator, R-Cube, for translational motions and a 3-DoF serial wrist mechanism for monitoring the rotational motions of the handle. The device is capable of displaying point-type of contact since only the R-Cube mechanism is actuated. The dimensions and the orientation of the R-Cube mechanism are reconfigured to comply with the requirements of the haptic system design criteria. The system has several advantages such as relatively trivial kinematical analysis, compactness and high stiffness. The integration of the system along with its mechanism, data acquisition card (DAQ), motor drivers, motors, position sensors, and computer control interface are outlined.Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant within the 7th European Community Framework Programm

Mechanical and control design of an active coupling for a teleoperated surgical instrument

This project is oriented to design and implement a mechanical coupling of surgical instruments for laparoscopy. Laparoscopy to a robot, a Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) technique, is a surgical technique where the surgeon is capable to carry out an internal operation through small incisions (0.5-1.5 cm) in the patient’s body. The inclusion of new technologies in this field has improved the MIS technique [1]. Most of the laparoscopy instruments have limited degrees of freedom (DOF) which is a limitation when the movements done by the surgeon are inside the abdominal wall of the patients. Increasing the number of DOF for laparoscopy instruments avoid this limitation. The aim of this project is to increase the dexterity of two teleoperated robots, which are installed in the ESAII LAB with a manual surgical instrument attached to their end effector. The instruments themselves are provided with 1 DOF at the tip, which is actuated by a servo to open or close the clamps. The robots add six additional DOF to the tool, three for the spatial positioning and three for the orientation of the tool. The main handicap is that these DOF are located at the handle of the instrument, (the last joint of the robot), and transferring them to the tool’s tip may require large movements of the robots due to geometrical constraints. In some cases, the reverse kinematics needed leads the robot to a joints links configuration unavailable inside the working range. To achieve the objective, three degrees of freedom instruments for laparoscopy will be coupled to our robots’ end effectors which facilitates the orientation of the tool without the need for the robot to perform large displacements. Therefore, the mechanical parts and the electronic board will be designed in order to attach this instrument to our robots and be able to control them through teleoperation. The tip of each instrument has 3 DOF mechanically driven, so an active transmission is required in order to move them for the tool’s tip orientation. The robots’ end effectors has been modified to increase the handling of the actual surgical instrument. Our work consists in designing and developing the physical coupling between robot and its surgical instrument, the servos coupling and also the control of the servos which provide the orientation for the tool tip

Towards a Twisted String Actuated Haptic Device: Experimental Testing of a 2-D Virtual Environment and Teleoperation Interface

In the article, a first stage implementation of a haptic device towards a complete 3-D workspace twisted-string actuated haptic interface is discussed. In the present work, a 2-D setup is presented, with the aim of preliminarly testing the behaviour of this novel haptic system, especially with respect to the adopted cable-based actuation solution. In particular, the component descriptions, kinematics of the planar device and the controller for teleoperation purposes are illustrated. Results regarding the behaviour of the system in rendering a virtual environment and in a robot teleoperation scenario with haptic force feedback are reported. The experimental outcomes show that the designed and implemented system is suitable for teleoperation with haptic interfaces, providing positive perspectives for the realization of the fully functional 3-D haptic interface in the future work

Exodex Adam—A Reconfigurable Dexterous Haptic User Interface for the Whole Hand

Applications for dexterous robot teleoperation and immersive virtual reality are growing. Haptic user input devices need to allow the user to intuitively command and seamlessly “feel” the environment they work in, whether virtual or a remote site through an avatar. We introduce the DLR Exodex Adam, a reconfigurable, dexterous, whole-hand haptic input device. The device comprises multiple modular, three degrees of freedom (3-DOF) robotic fingers, whose placement on the device can be adjusted to optimize manipulability for different user hand sizes. Additionally, the device is mounted on a 7-DOF robot arm to increase the user’s workspace. Exodex Adam uses a front-facing interface, with robotic fingers coupled to two of the user’s fingertips, the thumb, and two points on the palm. Including the palm, as opposed to only the fingertips as is common in existing devices, enables accurate tracking of the whole hand without additional sensors such as a data glove or motion capture. By providing “whole-hand” interaction with omnidirectional force-feedback at the attachment points, we enable the user to experience the environment with the complete hand instead of only the fingertips, thus realizing deeper immersion. Interaction using Exodex Adam can range from palpation of objects and surfaces to manipulation using both power and precision grasps, all while receiving haptic feedback. This article details the concept and design of the Exodex Adam, as well as use cases where it is deployed with different command modalities. These include mixed-media interaction in a virtual environment, gesture-based telemanipulation, and robotic hand–arm teleoperation using adaptive model-mediated teleoperation. Finally, we share the insights gained during our development process and use case deployments

Multi-robot cooperative platform : a task-oriented teleoperation paradigm

This thesis proposes the study and development of a teleoperation system based on multi-robot cooperation under the task oriented teleoperation paradigm: Multi-Robot Cooperative Paradigm, MRCP. In standard teleoperation, the operator uses the master devices to control the remote slave robot arms. These arms reproduce the desired movements and perform the task. With the developed work, the operator can virtually manipulate an object. MRCP automatically generates the arms orders to perform the task. The operator does not have to solve situations arising from possible restrictions that the slave arms may have. The research carried out is therefore aimed at improving the accuracy teleoperation tasks in complex environments, particularly in the field of robot assisted minimally invasive surgery. This field requires patient safety and the workspace entails many restrictions to teleoperation. MRCP can be defined as a platform composed of several robots that cooperate automatically to perform a teleoperated task, creating a robotic system with increased capacity (workspace volume, accessibility, dexterity ...). The cooperation is based on transferring the task between robots when necessary to enable a smooth task execution. The MRCP control evaluates the suitability of each robot to continue with the ongoing task and the optimal time to execute a task transfer between the current selected robot and the best candidate to continue with the task. From the operator¿s point of view, MRCP provides an interface that enables the teleoperation though the task-oriented paradigm: operator orders are translated into task actions instead of robot orders. This thesis is structured as follows: The first part is dedicated to review the current solutions in the teleoperation of complex tasks and compare them with those proposed in this research. The second part of the thesis presents and reviews in depth the different evaluation criteria to determine the suitability of each robot to continue with the execution of a task, considering the configuration of the robots and emphasizing the criterion of dexterity and manipulability. The study reviews the different required control algorithms to enable the task oriented telemanipulation. This proposed teleoperation paradigm is transparent to the operator. Then, the Thesis presents and analyses several experimental results using MRCP in the field of minimally invasive surgery. These experiments study the effectiveness of MRCP in various tasks requiring the cooperation of two hands. A type task is used: a suture using minimally invasive surgery technique. The analysis is done in terms of execution time, economy of movement, quality and patient safety (potential damage produced by undesired interaction between the tools and the vital tissues of the patient). The final part of the thesis proposes the implementation of different virtual aids and restrictions (guided teleoperation based on haptic visual and audio feedback, protection of restricted workspace regions, etc.) using the task oriented teleoperation paradigm. A framework is defined for implementing and applying a basic set of virtual aids and constraints within the framework of a virtual simulator for laparoscopic abdominal surgery. The set of experiments have allowed to validate the developed work. The study revealed the influence of virtual aids in the learning process of laparoscopic techniques. It has also demonstrated the improvement of learning curves, which paves the way for its implementation as a methodology for training new surgeons.Aquesta tesi doctoral proposa l'estudi i desenvolupament d'un sistema de teleoperació basat en la cooperació multi-robot sota el paradigma de la teleoperació orientada a tasca: Multi-Robot Cooperative Paradigm, MRCP. En la teleoperació clàssica, l'operador utilitza els telecomandaments perquè els braços robots reprodueixin els seus moviments i es realitzi la tasca desitjada. Amb el treball realitzat, l'operador pot manipular virtualment un objecte i és mitjançant el MRCP que s'adjudica a cada braç les ordres necessàries per realitzar la tasca, sense que l'operador hagi de resoldre les situacions derivades de possibles restriccions que puguin tenir els braços executors. La recerca desenvolupada està doncs orientada a millorar la teleoperació en tasques de precisió en entorns complexos i, en particular, en el camp de la cirurgia mínimament invasiva assistida per robots. Aquest camp imposa condicions de seguretat del pacient i l'espai de treball comporta moltes restriccions a la teleoperació. MRCP es pot definir com a una plataforma formada per diversos robots que cooperen de forma automàtica per dur a terme una tasca teleoperada, generant un sistema robòtic amb capacitats augmentades (volums de treball, accessibilitat, destresa,...). La cooperació es basa en transferir la tasca entre robots a partir de determinar quin és aquell que és més adequat per continuar amb la seva execució i el moment òptim per realitzar la transferència de la tasca entre el robot actiu i el millor candidat a continuar-la. Des del punt de vista de l'operari, MRCP ofereix una interfície de teleoperació que permet la realització de la teleoperació mitjançant el paradigma d'ordres orientades a la tasca: les ordres es tradueixen en accions sobre la tasca en comptes d'estar dirigides als robots. Aquesta tesi està estructurada de la següent manera: Primerament es fa una revisió de l'estat actual de les diverses solucions desenvolupades actualment en el camp de la teleoperació de tasques complexes, comparant-les amb les proposades en aquest treball de recerca. En el segon bloc de la tesi es presenten i s'analitzen a fons els diversos criteris per determinar la capacitat de cada robot per continuar l'execució d'una tasca, segons la configuració del conjunt de robots i fent especial èmfasi en el criteri de destresa i manipulabilitat. Seguint aquest estudi, es presenten els diferents processos de control emprats per tal d'assolir la telemanipulació orientada a tasca de forma transparent a l'operari. Seguidament es presenten diversos resultats experimentals aplicant MRCP al camp de la cirurgia mínimament invasiva. En aquests experiments s'estudia l'eficàcia de MRCP en diverses tasques que requereixen de la cooperació de dues mans. S'ha escollit una tasca tipus: sutura amb tècnica de cirurgia mínimament invasiva. L'anàlisi es fa en termes de temps d'execució, economia de moviment, qualitat i seguretat del pacient (potencials danys causats per la interacció no desitjada entre les eines i els teixits vitals del pacient). Finalment s'ha estudiat l'ús de diferents ajudes i restriccions virtuals (guiat de la teleoperació via retorn hàptic, visual o auditiu, protecció de regions de l'espai de treball, etc) dins el paradigma de teleoperació orientada a tasca. S'ha definint un marc d'aplicació base i implementant un conjunt de restriccions virtuals dins el marc d'un simulador de cirurgia laparoscòpia abdominal. El conjunt d'experiments realitzats han permès validar el treball realitzat. Aquest estudi ha permès determinar la influencia de les ajudes virtuals en el procés d'aprenentatge de les tècniques laparoscòpiques. S'ha evidenciat una millora en les corbes d'aprenentatge i obre el camí a la seva implantació com a metodologia d'entrenament de nous cirurgians.Postprint (published version

Haptic Device Design and Teleoperation Control Algorithms for Mobile Manipulators

The increasing need of teleoperated robotic systems implies more and more often to use, as slave devices, mobile platforms (terrestrial, aerial or underwater) with integrated manipulation capabilities, provided e.g. by robotic arms with proper grasping/manipulation tools. Despite this, the research activity in teleoperation of robotic systems has mainly focused on the control of either fixed-base manipulators or mobile robots, non considering the integration of these two types of systems in a single device. Such a combined robotic devices are usually referred to as mobile manipulators: systems composed by both a robotic manipulator and a mobile platform (on which the arm is mounted) whose purpose is to enlarge the manipulator’s workspace. The combination of a mobile platform and a serial manipulator creates redundancy: a particular point in the space can be reached by moving the manipulator, by moving the mobile platform, or by a combined motion of both. A synchronized motion of both devices need then to be addressed. Although specific haptic devices explicitly oriented to the control of mobile manipulators need to be designed, there are no commercial solution yet. For this reason it is often necessary to control such as combined systems with traditional haptic devices not specifically oriented to the control of mobile manipulators. The research activity presented in this Ph.D. thesis focuses in the first place on the design of a teleoperation control scheme which allows the simultaneous control of both the manipulator and the mobile platform by means of a single haptic device characterized by fixed base and an open kinematic chain. Secondly the design of a novel cable-drive haptic devices has been faced. Investigating the use of twisted strings actuation in force rendering is the most interesting challenge of the latter activity

Kinesthetic Haptics Sensing and Discovery with Bilateral Teleoperation Systems

In the mechanical engineering field of robotics, bilateral teleoperation is a classic but still increasing research topic. In bilateral teleoperation, a human operator moves the master manipulator, and a slave manipulator is controlled to follow the motion of the master in a remote, potentially hostile environment. This dissertation focuses on kinesthetic perception analysis in teleoperation systems. Design of the controllers of the systems is studied as the influential factor of this issue. The controllers that can provide different force tracking capability are compared using the same experimental protocol. A 6 DOF teleoperation system is configured as the system testbed. An innovative master manipulator is developed and a 7 DOF redundant manipulator is used as the slave robot. A singularity avoidance inverse kinematics algorithm is developed to resolve the redundancy of the slave manipulator. An experimental protocol is addressed and three dynamics attributes related to kineshtetic feedback are investigated: weight, center of gravity and inertia. The results support our hypothesis: the controller that can bring a better force feedback can improve the performance in the experiments

Design of a haptic device for teleoperation and virtual reality systems

IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, SMC 2009; San Antonio, TX; United States; 11 October 2009 through 14 October 2009Haptics technology has increased the precision and telepresence of the teleoperation and precision of the in-house robotic applications by force and surface information feedback. Force feedback is achieved through sending back the pressure and force information via a haptic device as the information is created or measured at the point of interest. In order to configure such a system, design, analysis and production processes of a haptic device, which is suitable for that specific application, becomes important. Today, haptic devices find use in assistive surgical robotics and most of the teleoperation systems. These devices are also extensively utilized in simulators to train medical and military personnel. The objective of this work is to design a haptic device with a new structure that has the potential to increase the precision of the robotic operation. Thus, literature is reviewed and possible robot manipulator designs are investigated to increase the precision in haptics applications. As a result of the investigations, conceptual designs are developed. Ultimately, final design is selected and produced after it is investigated in computer-aided- design (CAD) environment and its kinematic and structural analyses are carried out