Remote mechanical mirroring using controlled stiffness and actuators (memica)

摘要

A haptic interface enables human operators to "feel" and intuitively mirror the stiffness/forces at remote/virtual sites for the control of robots as human-surrogates. The system provides a haptic interface based upon a novel MEMICA (remote MEchanical MIrroring system using Controlled stiffness and Actuators) device. The integral components of MEMICA include at least one of each of a miniature electrically controlled stiffness (ECS) element and electrically controlled force and stiffness (ECFS) actuator (31). The ECS elements and ECFS actuators (31) mirror actual stiffness and forces at remote/virtual sites using an electrorheological fluid (ERF). Further the ECFS actuators (31) comprise an electromagnetic part that can actively apply forces on a human operator. The ECS elements and ECFS actuators (31) will be placed at selected locations on an instrumented glove, headpiece or other apparatus to mirror the forces of resistance to motion at the corresponding locations at a corresponding robot end-effector. Forces applied at the robot end-effector due to a compliant or rigid environment will be reflected to the user using this ERF device (10).