KEYWORDS: Haptic technology, Human-computer interaction, Virtual reality, Control systems, Visualization, Nanomanipulation, Atomic force microscopy, Carbon nanotubes, 3D modeling, Computing systems
At the EPFL, we have developed a force-feedback device and control architecture for high-end research and industrial applications. The Delta Haptic Device (DHD) consists of a 6 degrees-of-freedom (DOF) mecatronic device driven by a PC. Several experiments have been carried out in the fields of manipulation and simulation to assess the dramatic improvement haptic information brings to manipulation. This system is particularly well suited for scaled manipulation such as micro-, nano- and biomanipulation. Not only can it perform geometric and force scaling, but it can also include fairly complex physical models into the control loop to assist manipulation and enhance human understanding of the environment. To demonstrate this ability, we are currently interfacing our DHD with an atomic force microscope (AFM). In a first stage, we will be able to feel in real-time the topology of a given sample while visualizing it in 3D. The aim of the project is to make manipulation of carbon nanotubes possible by including physical models of such nanotubes behavior into the control loop, thus allowing humans to control complex structures. In this paper, we give a brief description of our device and present preliminary results of its interfacing with the AFM.
KEYWORDS: Robots, Haptic technology, Human-machine interfaces, Personal digital assistants, Sensors, Visualization, Video, Mobile robots, Control systems, Cameras
Remote driving is a difficult task. Not only do operators have problems perceiving and evaluating the remote environment, but they frequently make incorrect or sub-optimal control decisions. Thus, there is a need to develop alternative approaches which make remote driving easier and more productive. To address this need, we have developed three novel user interfaces: GestureDriver, HapticDriver and PdaDriver. In this paper, we present the motivation for and design of each interface. We also discuss research issues related to the use of gesture, haptics, and palm-size computers for remote driving. Finally, we describe lessons learned, potential applications and planned extensions for each interface.
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