A Lightweight Accessible Wearable Robotic Interface for Bimanual Haptic Manipulations

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Haptics

Background:

• Wearable haptic devices enable natural cooperative manipulation.
• High weight and cost limit the widespread application of haptic interfaces.
• Existing interfaces often require significant setup or assistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a lightweight and accessible wearable robotic interface for bimanual force feedback.
• To reduce the weight and cost of haptic devices for broader applicability.
• To evaluate the performance of the interface in cooperative tasks.

Main Methods:

• A waist-worn robotic interface comprising a belt, robotic arms, and electronics was designed.
• The interface provides 3-Degrees-of-Freedom (3-DoF) position tracking and force feedback for each hand.
• Optimization focused on achieving a desirable force output and dexterous workspace without singularity.

Main Results:

• The developed interface weighs only 2.4 kg, making it significantly lightweight and accessible.
• The waist-worn design minimizes the perceivability of reaction forces compared to interaction forces.
• Experimental results demonstrated improved efficiency and stability in bimanual cooperative manipulations with force feedback.

Conclusions:

• The novel wearable interface offers a practical solution for natural and cooperative manipulation with force feedback.
• Reduced weight and cost enhance the potential applications of haptic technology.
• The interface facilitates more efficient and stable human-robot collaboration in virtual environments.