Virtual Force/Tactile Sensors for Interactive Machines Using the User's Biological Signals

Authors: Tamei, Tomoya¹; Ishii, Shin²; Shibata, Tomohiro³

Source: Advanced Robotics, Volume 22, Number 8, 2008 , pp. 893-911(19)

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Abstract:

This study proposes a new approach to virtual realization of force/tactile sensors in machines equipped with no real sensors. The key of our approach is that a machine exploits the user's biological signals. Therefore, this approach is not dependent on controlled objects and is expected to be widely applicable for a variety of machines including robots. This article describes an example robotic system comprised of an industrial robot manipulator, a motion capture system and a surface electromyogram (EMG) measurement apparatus. By monitoring/recording the user's surface EMG and postural information in real-time, we show that a robot equipped with no force/tactile sensors behaved similarly to one possessing sensors over its body. Another advantage of our approach is demonstrated by a task in which a robot and a user cooperatively hold and move a heavy load.

Keywords: HUMAN-MACHINE INTERACTION; FORCE/TACTILE SENSING; ELECTROMYOGRAM; MOTION CAPTURE

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156855308X314560

Affiliations: 1: Graduate School of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan;, Email: tomo-tam@is.naist.jp 2: Graduate School of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan 3: Graduate School of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan

Publication date: 2008-08-01