Tele-existence and/or cybernetic interface studies in Japan

Tele-existence aims at a natural and efficient remote control of robots by providing the operator with a real time sensation of presence. It is an advaced type of teleoperation system which enables a human operator at the controls to perform remote manipulation tasks dexterously with the feeling that he or she exists in one of the remote anthropomorphic robots in the remote environment, e.g., in a hostile environment such as those of nuclear radiation, high temperature, and deep space. In order to study the use of the tele-existence system in the artificially constructed environment, the visual tele-existence simulator has been designed, a pseudo-real-time binocular solid model robot simulator has been made, and its feasibility has been experimentally evaluated. An anthropomorphic robot mechanism with an arm having seven degrees of freedom has been designed and developed as a slave robot for feasibility experiments of teleoperation using the tele-existence method. An impedance controlled active display mechanism and a head mounted display have also been designed and developed as the display subsystem for the master. The robot's structural dimensions are set very close to those of humans

Robotic tele-existence

Tele-existence is an advanced type of teleoperation system that enables a human operator at the controls to perform remote manipulation tasks dexterously with the feeling that he or she exists in the remote anthropomorphic robot in the remote environment. The concept of a tele-existence is presented, the principle of the tele-existence display method is explained, some of the prototype systems are described, and its space application is discussed

Somatotopic distortion of tactile temporal interval estimation

Abstract: Tactile timing mechanism, which is essential for accurate response to the external environment, has to compensate for the distortions of neural timing signals. Specifically, signals come from the distributed peripheral receptors and the body parts move dynamically in a space. Since an accurate visual timing encoding lacks the precision when using two widely separated photoreceptors, here we studied on how the tactile timing is encoded in relation to two distance; somatotopic representation, defined by cortical topography, and spatiotopic representation, defined in the physical world. We performed 1 second tactile interval estimation experiments, in which the spatial distance of the two stimuli was systematically changed in somatotopic and spatiotopic representations and compared. Our results showed that somatotopic nerve distance, not real-world physical distance, plays a dominant role in the tactile timing estimations

Tactile motion aftereVects produced by appropriate presentation for mechanoreceptors

Abstract Tactile motion perception is one of the most important functions for realizing a delicate appreciation of the tactile world. To explore the neural dynamics of motion processing in the brain, the motion adaptation phenomenon can be a useful probe. Tactile motion aftereVects (MAE), however, have not been reported in a reproducible fashion, and the indistinctive outcomes of the previous studies can be ascribed to the non-optimal choice of adapting and testing stimuli. Considering the features of the stimuli used in the studies, the stimuli activated the diVerent mechanoreceptors in the adapting and testing phase. Consequently, we tested tactile MAE using appropriate combinations of adapting and testing stimuli. We used three pins to generate sensation of apparent motion on the Wnger cushion. They were sequentially vibrated with the frequency of 30 Hz both in adapting and testing phases. It is expected that this procedure ensured stimulation for the same mechanoreceptor (Rapid-Adapting mechanoreceptor) in both the adaptation and test phases. Using this procedure, we found robust tactile MAEs in the various tactile motions such as the shortdistance motion within the Wngertip, the long-distance motion from the Wnger base to the Wngertip, and the circular motion on the Wngertip. Our development of a protocol that reliably produces tactile MAEs will provide a useful psychophysical probe into the neural mechanisms of tactile motion processing