Abstract: Haptic-robot control based on local autonomy and a dual-proxy model is provided. The dual proxy guarantees generation of safe and consistent commands for two local controllers, which ensure the compliance and stability of the systems on both sides. A Force-Space Particle Filter enables an autonomous modeling and rendering of the task contact geometry from the robot state and sensory data. The method suppresses the instability issues caused by the transfer of power variables through a network with communication delays in conventional haptic-robot controllers. The results demonstrated the transparency and high fidelity of the method, and robustness to communication delays. While the conventional method failed for communication delays higher that milliseconds, the dual proxy method maintained high performance for delays up to one and a half seconds. The local autonomy-based haptic control of robots with the dual-proxy model enables applications in areas such as medical, underwater and space robotics.

Abstract: A versatile, compact, and high-fidelity haptic device is provided. The mechanical transparency of the design and the selection of proper actuation meet the challenges of an accurate and stiff haptic device with high and isotropic force capability. Such a haptic interface enables a precise remote control and provides perfect sense of the task interaction in any environments and applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide a control solution for a robotic actuator. The actuator can have one or two degrees of freedom of control, and can connect with a platform using an arm. The arm can have at least two degrees of freedom of control, and the platform can have at least two degrees of freedom of control. The platform can be subjected to unpredictable forces requiring a control response. The control solution can be generated using operational space control, using the degrees of freedom of the arm, platform and actuator.

Abstract: Haptic-robot control based on local autonomy and a dual-proxy model is provided. The dual proxy guarantees generation of safe and consistent commands for two local controllers, which ensure the compliance and stability of the systems on both sides. A Force-Space Particle Filter enables an autonomous modeling and rendering of the task contact geometry from the robot state and sensory data. The method suppresses the instability issues caused by the transfer of power variables through a network with communication delays in conventional haptic-robot controllers. The results demonstrated the transparency and high fidelity of the method, and robustness to communication delays. While the conventional method failed for communication delays higher that 150 milliseconds, the dual proxy method maintained high performance for delays up to one and a half seconds. The local autonomy-based haptic control of robots with the dual-proxy model enables applications in areas such as medical, underwater and space robotics.

Abstract: An adaptive workspace mapping controller is provided having a fine balance between a progressive drift to the task area of interests and an adjustment of the remote force-motion resolution through scaling factor change. This adaptive workspace mapping controller gives the human the possibility to perform teleoperation activities in any environments without feeling the limitations of the haptic interface. Embodiments smartly and continuously adapts force-motion mapping in the teleoperation system, between the haptic device and the controlled robot, with respect to their respective workspaces and capabilities, to the task trajectories and interaction forces, and to user preferences. It significantly improves on the existing mapping controllers since the new drift-computation method and the additional adaptive-scaling step make it as efficient in large free-space motions as in quasi-static interaction tasks.

Abstract: A versatile, compact, and high-fidelity haptic device is provided. The mechanical transparency of the design and the selection of proper actuation meet the challenges of an accurate and stiff haptic device with high and isotropic force capability. Such a haptic interface enables a precise remote control and provides perfect sense of the task interaction in any environments and applications.

Abstract: Fast and stable methods are provided for estimating contact forces at multiple contact patches for multi-contact interactions between a robot and objects in its environment. Additionally, the estimated contact forces are physically consistent, and provide a useful to substitute to measured forces using sensors. Embodiments of this invention can be programmed as computer- implemented method(s) into a simulation software to produce smooth motion of the robot and objects in its environment without artifacts such as inter-penetration between bodies and unexpected oscillations.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide a control solution for a robotic actuator. The actuator can have one or two degrees of freedom of control, and can connect with a platform using an arm. The arm can have at least two degrees of freedom of control, and the platform can have at least two degrees of freedom of control. The platform can be subjected to unpredictable forces requiring a control response. The control solution can be generated using operational space control, using the degrees of freedom of the arm, platform and actuator.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide a control solution for a robotic actuator. The actuator can have one or two degrees of freedom of control, and can connect with a platform using an arm. The arm can have at least two degrees of freedom of control, and the platform can have at least two degrees of freedom of control. The platform can be subjected to unpredictable forces requiring a control response. The control solution can be generated using operational space control, using the degrees of freedom of the arm, platform, and actuator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a workpiece contact state estimating device and a workpiece contact state estimation method to estimate an actual state of contact of a workpiece A with a peripheral object on the basis of a feasible contact acting force range, which is a feasible range of the value of a contact acting force (the force acting on a manipulator 1 generated by contact) prepared in advance for each of a plurality of types of contact states that are feasible as the states of contact of the workpiece A with the peripheral object, and a measurement value of the contact acting force at the time of contact of the workpiece A with the peripheral object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a workpiece contact state estimating device and a workpiece contact state estimation method to estimate an actual state of contact of a workpiece A with a peripheral object on the basis of a feasible contact acting force range, which is a feasible range of the value of a contact acting force (the force acting on a manipulator 1 generated by contact) prepared in advance for each of a plurality of types of contact states that are feasible as the states of contact of the workpiece A with the peripheral object, and a measurement value of the contact acting force at the time of contact of the workpiece A with the peripheral object.

Abstract: A workspace expansion controller for human interface systems is provided. The controller resolves the physical workspace constraint by relocating the physical workspace of the device mapped inside the environment (virtual or robot) towards the area of interest of the operator without disturbing his or her perception of the environment. The controller is based on the fact that people are greatly influenced by what they perceive visually and often do not notice small deviations in their hand unless that small deviation has a corresponding visual component. With this new control approach the operator can explore much larger workspaces without losing spatial resolution through high scaling factors and thus avoid the drawbacks of indexing common with current approaches.

Abstract: Torque control capability is provided to a position controlled robot by calculating joint position inputs from transformation of the desired joint torques. This is based on calculating the transfer function 1/E(s), which relates the desired joint torque to joint position. Here E(s) is a servo transfer function D(s) or an effective servo transfer function D*(s). The use of an effective servo transfer function D*s) is helpful in cases where joint nonlinearities are significant. The effective servo transfer function D*(s) is defined with respect to an ideal joint transfer function G*(s)=1/(Ieffs2+beffs), where Ieff is an effective moment of inertia and beff is an effective damping coefficient.

Abstract: Torque control capability is provided to a position controlled robot by calculating joint position inputs from transformation of the desired joint torques. This is based on calculating the transfer function 1/E(s), which relates the desired joint torque to joint position. Here E(s) is a servo transfer function D(s) or an effective servo transfer function D*(s). The use of an effective servo transfer function D*s) is helpful in cases where joint nonlinearities are significant. The effective servo transfer function D*(s) is defined with respect to an ideal joint transfer function G*(s)=1/(Ieffs2+beffs), where Ieff is an effective moment of inertia and beff is an effective damping coefficient.

Abstract: A workspace expansion controller for human interface systems is provided. The controller resolves the physical workspace constraint by relocating the physical workspace of the device mapped inside the environment (virtual or robot) towards the area of interest of the operator without disturbing his or her perception of the environment. The controller is based on the fact that people are greatly influenced by what they perceive visually and often do not notice small deviations in their hand unless that small deviation has a corresponding visual component. With this new control approach the operator can explore much larger workspaces without losing spatial resolution through high scaling factors and thus avoid the drawbacks of indexing common with current approaches.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, medical apparatus comprising a catheter (12) which operable to be inserted into a human subject (10) is disclosed herein. Haptic sensors (22, 24) and deformation sensors (26, 27) are connected to the catheter (12) and these are disposed at a plurality of locations along the length of the catheter (12). The haptic sensors measures 3D forces (18) acting on the catheter (12) at the disposed locations and these forces are provided to a haptic feedback device (14) which provides haptic feedback to, an interventional radiologist. The deformation sensors (26, 27) on the other hand, measures the deformation of the catheter (12) at the disposed locations and this information determines the shape of the catheter (12) which is represented on a display (16) for viewing by the radiologist.

Abstract: Torque control capability is provided to a position controlled robot by calculating joint position inputs from transformation of the desired joint torques. This is based on calculating the transfer function 1/E(s), which relates the desired joint torque to joint position. Here E(s) is a servo transfer function D(s) or an effective servo transfer function D*(s). The use of an effective servo transfer function D*s) is helpful in cases where joint nonlinearities are significant. The effective servo transfer function D*(s) is defined with respect to an ideal joint transfer function G*(s)=1/(Ieffs2+beffs), where Ieff is an effective moment of inertia and beff is an effective damping coefficient.

Abstract: Torque control capability is provided to a position controlled robot by calculating joint position inputs from transformation of the desired joint torques. This is based on calculating the transfer function 1/E(s), which relates the desired joint torque to joint position. Here E(s) is a servo transfer function D(s) or an effective servo transfer function D*(s). The use of an effective servo transfer function D*s) is helpful in cases where joint nonlinearities are significant. The effective servo transfer function D*(s) is defined with respect to an ideal joint transfer function G*(s)=1/(Ieffs2+beffs) , where Ieff is an effective moment of inertia and beff is an effective damping coefficient.