IEEE Transactions on Haptics最新文献

Ensuring the safety and authenticity of haptic feed2 back is crucial in the domain of surgical operations, particularly in procedures like Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) and Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery (MIRS). To enhance the control efficiency of the robotic operating console, we propose a haptic magnetism-based array (HM7 Array). This system employs a solenoid array and a detection stylus to achieve controller localization without the need for additional sensors, while simultaneously generating haptic effects. The device effectively controls the surgical robot's pose through a localization-haptic combined loopback. The entire system is scheduled on a finite state machine (FSM), seamlessly fusing localization and haptic generation. Psychometric evaluations con14 ducted through user studies have demonstrated the device's pre15 cision and accuracy. Teleoperation experimental results further confirm its potential value in surgical treatments and broader medical haptic applications.

To provide deeper immersion for the user in the virtual environments, both force and torque feedbacks are required rather than the mere use of visual and auditory ones. In this paper, we develop a novel propeller-based Ungrounded Handheld Haptic Device (UHHD) that delivers both force and torque feedbacks in one device to help the user experience a realistic sensation of immersion in a three-dimensional (3D) space. The proposed UHHD uses only a pair of propellers and a set of sliders to continuously generate the desired force and torque feedbacks up to 15N and 1N.m in magnitude in less than 370ms, respectively. The produced force and torque feedbacks are oriented in a desired direction using a gimbal mechanism where the propellers are mounted inside in such a way that a simple structure is obtained. These features facilitate the control of the proposed UHHD and enhance its practicality in various applications. To prove the capability of the system, we model it and elaborate on the force and torque analyses. Next, we develop a robust parallel force/position controller to tackle the structured and unstructured uncertainties. Finally, a measurement setup is manufactured to experimentally evaluate the performance of the UHHD and the controller. The implementation of the controller on the developed UHHD prototype shows that a satisfactory control performance is achievable in terms of offering the desired force and torque feedbacks.

Haptic simulation of needle insertion requires both a needle-tissue interaction model and a method to render the outputs of this model into real-time force feedback for the user. In comparison with interaction models, rendering methods in the literature have seen little development and are either oversimplified or too computationally complex. Therefore, this study introduces the Generalized Tracking Wall (GTW) approach, a haptic rendering method inspired by the proxy approach. It aims to accurately simulate the interaction between a needle tip and soft tissues without the complex calculations of tissue deformations. The essence of the proposed method is that it associates an algorithm based on the energetic analysis of cutting with a contact model capable of simulating viscoelasticity and nonlinearity. This association proved to be a potent tool to faithfully replicate the different phases of needle insertion while adhering to underlying physics. Multi-layered-tissue insertions are also considered. The performance and generecity of the GTW are first evaluated through simulations. Then, the GTW is experimentally compared to empirical methods inspired by the literature.

This study addresses the challenges of Programming by Demonstration (PbD) in the context of collaborative robots, focusing on the need to provide additional degrees of programming without hindering the user's ability to demonstrate trajectories. PbD enables an intuitive programming of robots through demonstrations, allowing non-expert users to teach robot skills without coding. The two main PbD modalities, observational and kinesthetic, have limitations when it comes to programming the diverse functionalities offered by modern collaborative robots. To overcome these limitations, the study proposes the use of a wearable human-robot interface based on surface Electromyography (sEMG) to measure the forearm's muscle co-contraction level, enabling additional programming inputs through hand stiffening level modulations without interfering with voluntary movements. Vibrotactile feedback enhances the operator's understanding of the additional programming inputs during PbD tasks. The proposed approach is demonstrated through experiments involving a collaborative robot performing an industrial wiring task. The results showcase the effectiveness and intuitiveness of the interface, allowing simultaneous programming of robot compliance and gripper grasping. The framework, applicable to both teleoperation and kinesthetic teaching, demonstrated effectively in an industrial wiring task with a 100% success rate over the group of subjects. Furthermore, the presence of vibortactile feedback showed an average decrease of programming errors of 33%, and statistical analyses confirmed the subjects' ability to correctly modulate co-contraction levels. This innovative framework augments programming by demonstration by integrating neuromuscular interfacing and introducing structured programming logics, providing an intuitive human-robot interaction for programming both gripper and compliance in teleoperation and kinesthetic teaching.