Haptic Device Research

We have developed a 3 DOF haptic joystick that is rugged in construction, yet capable of generating high fidelity haptic sensations. The joystick interfaces to a standard PC via an in-house designed and built motor power drive board, and ISA card.

Our 3 DOF haptic joystick has been interfaced to a Schilling manipulator via UK Robotics' Advanced Teleoperation Controller. The robot is equipped with a force/torque sensor which generates data for the haptic joystick. The Schilling is being used for insertion, grinding and drilling tasks using the haptic joystick.

Haptic Device Funding and Selected Publications:

Hazardous environment operations such as nuclear plant decommissioning or terrorist bomb disposal typically require the use of a remotely operated mobile manipulator vehicle. Visual information concerning the vehicle and its environment is essential if a remote operator is to successfully achieve a given task. However, ideal camera placements within such environments are not always possible and in most cases, an operator has to depend upon the information provided by a single camera mounted on the vehicle. This provides a very restricted `window' onto the vehicle and its environment and a number of `blind-spots' exist. The lack of visual information when operating in cluttered environments makes vehicle manoeuvring very difficult, and when this situation is exacerbated by strict time limits for a task, then vehicle/environment collisions and resultant damage can occur.

To counter the problem of limited visual information, we are investigating the application of haptic communication for remote mobile manipulator robot operations. A 3 DOF haptic joystick has been developed which can be programmed to simulate a wide variety of force sensations. An operator can generate 3 DOF motion commands from the joystick, whilst receiving and feeling appropriately synthesised haptic sensations via the joystick handle. This bi-directional exchange of information can be used as a low band width communications method, thus allowing an operator to control a remote robotic device, whilst receiving information regarding the robot as it encounters and interacts with objects within its environment.

To date, we have investigated the haptic communication issues associated with our 3 DOF device, when applied to the tele-operation of a mobile vehicle, and a manipulator when performing insertion, grinding, and drilling tasks.

• Barnes D.P., and Counsell M.S., Haptic communication for remote mobile manipulator robot operations. In American Nuclear Society, Proc. 8th Topical Meeting on Robotics & Remote Systems. Pittsburgh, PA, USA, (Proc. on CDROM) April 1999. PDF version available.

The information provided on this and other pages by me, Dave Barnes, is under my own personal responsibility and not that of Aberystwyth University. Similarly, any opinions expressed are my own and are in no way to be taken as those of Aberystwyth University.