A review of using the force/torque sensor in robotics application

Nowadays, force/torque sensors ubiquitous in the robotics field. Most of the robots on the assembly line use a force/torque sensor in a complex assembly process. A force/torque (F/T) sensor is an electronic device designed to track, detect, record, and manage the rotational and linear forces exerted on it. This force/torque sensor, sometimes known as a multi-axis force/torque transducer, six-axis load cell, or F/T sensor. This sensor plays a vital role in the robotic application as it provides force information to make the system more reliable and precise.

Effects of force-torque and tactile haptic modalities on classifying the success of robot manipulation tasks

We investigate which haptic sensing modalities, or combination of haptic sensing modalities, best enable a robot to determine whether it successfully completed a manipulation task. In this paper, we consider haptic sensing modalities obtained from a wrist-mounted force-torque sensor and three types of fingertip sensors: a pair of FlexiForce force-sensing resistors, a pair of NumaTac sensors, and a pair of BioTac sensors. For each type of fingertip sensor, we simultaneously record force-torque and fingertip tactile data as the robot attempted to complete two manipulation tasks-a picking task and a scooping task-two-hundred times each. We leverage the resulting dataset to train and test a classification method using forty-one different haptic feature combinations, obtained from exhaustive combinations of individual modalities of the force-torque sensor and fingertip sensors. Our results show that the classification method's ability to distinguish between successful and unsuccessful task attempts depends on both the type of manipulation task and the subset of haptic modalities used to train and test the classification method.Accepted manuscrip

Displays for supervisory control of manipulators

The problem of displaying information generated by sensors attached to the terminal device of a remotely controlled manipulator is considered. The sensors under consideration are proximity, force-torque, tactile and slip-page sensors. The paper describes and evaluates several examples that have been implemented in the JPL teleoperator project using audio and graphic displays of information generated by four proximity sensors attached to a manipulator end effector. Design schemes are also discussed related to the display of information generated by a six-dimensional force-torque sensor, a multipoint proportional tactile sensor, and a directional slippage sensor. The paper concludes with a discussion of future integrated displays of visual (TV) and handbased sensor information

Flight telerobot mechanism design: Problems and challenges

Problems and challenges of designing flight telerobot mechanisms are discussed. Specific experiences are drawn from the following system developments: (1) the Force Reflecting Hand Controller, (2) the Smart End Effector, (3) the force-torque sensor, and a generic multi-degrees-of-freedom manipulator

The flight demonstration program and selection process

The Orbital Refueling System (ORS); force torque sensor; Plasma Motor/Generator (PMG) proof of function; voice controlled system; infrared intercommunications; superfluid helium on orbit transfer; laser docking sensor; and the Small Expendable Deployment System (SEDS) are summarized

Force/torque and tactile sensors for sensor-based manipulator control

The autonomy of manipulators, in space and in industrial environments, can be dramatically enhanced by the use of force/torque and tactile sensors. The development and future use of a six-component force/torque sensor for the Hermes Robot Arm (HERA) Basic End-Effector (BEE) is discussed. Then a multifunctional gripper system based on tactile sensors is described. The basic transducing element of the sensor is a sheet of pressure-sensitive polymer. Tactile image processing algorithms for slip detection, object position estimation, and object recognition are described

Experimental results with a six-degree-of-freedom force-reflecting hand controller

Control experiments performed using an isotonic joystick connected to a six degree-of-freedom manipulator equipped with a six dimensional force-torque sensor at the base of the manipulator end effector are described. The preliminary control experiments were aimed at the investigation of the human operators' ability to command and control forces in different directions by varying the information conditions and the values of the feedforward and feedback command gains in the bilateral control loop. The main conclusions are: (1) a quantified graphic display of force-torque information can considerably enhance the operator's ability to perform a quantitatively sharp force-torque control, and (2) there seems to be a task dependent optimal combination of the feedforward and feedback command gain values which provide a dynamically smooth and stable bilateral control performance

Performance experiments with alternative advanced teleoperator control modes for a simulated solar maximum satellite repair

Experiments are described which were conducted at the JPL Advanced Teleoperator Lab to demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of various teleoperator control modes in the performance of a simulated Solar Max Satellite Repair (SMSR) task. THe SMSR was selected as a test because it is very rich in performance capability requirements and it actually has been performed by two EVA astronauts in the Space Shuttle Bay in 1984. The main subtasks are: thermal blanket removal; installation of a hinge attachment for electrical panel opening; opening of electrical panel; removal of electrical connectors; relining of cable bundles; replacement of electrical panel; securing parts and cables; re-mate electrical connectors; closing of electrical panel; and reinstating thermal blanket. The current performance experiments are limited to thermal blanket cutting, electrical panel unbolting and handling electrical bundles and connectors. In one formal experiment even different control modes were applied to the unbolting and reinsertion of electrical panel screws subtasks. The seven control modes are alternative combinations of manual position and rate control with force feedback and remote compliance referenced to force-torque sensor information. Force-torque sensor and end effector position data and task completion times were recorded for analysis and quantification of operator performance