Research on Haptic Interaction
The human sense of touch is an indispensable tool in allowing us to manipulate and interact in our every-day world. This intuitive form of interaction, however, is often absent when working in remote or virtual environments. Haptic systems have demonstrated the capability of re-introducing this lost ability into computer/user interfaces. These force-feedback systems, by simulating the forces caused by the virtual environment, augment the amount of information that can be presented to the user by visual means alone, as well as increase the sense of immersion experienced by the user.
Haptic Simulation
Our research in haptic simulation has focused on the development of new algorithms and control structures to allow the quick and robust tactile display of virtual environments derived from common graphical descriptions. By investigating the ways humans perceive their environment through the sense of touch, we have also defined new control strategies for displaying large virtual environments through small haptic devices. The developments of these new technologies have the potential for enormous benefits in many areas of human activity including medicine, industrial design, aeronautics, robotics, and education.
Haptic SimulationWorkspace Expansion
Haptic Teleoperation
A tele-manipulation system provides tele-presence by allowing a user to remotely control a slave robot through a master device. The challenge of haptic rendering and teleoperation is to synthesize a realistic mechanical sensation through feedback control while achieving other satisfactory feedback properties including robustness to hardware, noise attenuation, and stability.Robot teleoperation
Haptic Interface Design
The continuing emergence of computer haptics for training, industrial and entertainment applications has increased the need for cheaper, safer and smaller tactile display solutions. These motives have leaded us to develop new actuation approaches that couple brakes, springs and micro motor elements together. By efficiently controlling these actuators collectively we have managed to render virtual shapes and textures in a very realistic manner and with less electrical power compared to classic motor-only actuation approaches. As the range of forces can also be increased considerably, the overall safety is also improved as mini motors cannot strike an operator with high active forces.