Dynamic Performance of Mobile Haptic Interfaces

• Published in: IEEE transactions on robotics Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 559 - 575
• Main Authors: Formaglio, A., Prattichizzo, D., Barbagli, F., Giannitrapani, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.2008; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Application software; Applied sciences; Automation; Computational modeling; Computer science; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer simulation; Computer systems and distributed systems. User interface; Control system analysis; Control system synthesis; Control theory. Systems; Demand; Design; Devices; Dynamics; Exact sciences and technology; Feeds; Guidelines; Haptic interfaces; haptics; Humans; Interfaces; Mobile robots; Navigation; performance analysis; Robotics; Robotics and automation; Robots; Software; Virtual reality; Vision systems; Human; Transparency; Navigation; Moving robot; Control synthesis; Robot dynamics; mobile robots; Dynamic method; Robotics; Design; Locomotion; Tactile sensitivity; haptics; User interface; Virtual reality; Performance analysis; Force control
• ISSN: 1552-3098; 1941-0468
• DOI: 10.1109/TRO.2008.924262

The increasing demand for virtual reality applications in several scientific disciplines feeds new research perspectives dealing with robotics, automation, and computer science. In this context, one of the topics is the design of advanced force-feedback devices allowing not only kinesthetic interaction with virtual objects but also locomotion and navigation inside virtual worlds. This has the main advantage to stimulate human vestibular apparatus, thus increasing the overall realism of simulation. Particularly, this paper deals with mobile haptic interfaces (MHIs), built by combining standard force-feedback devices with mobile platforms. We investigated which factors may affect the transparency of this kind of devices, identifying in mobile robot dynamics a possible cause of loss of transparency. Hence, in this paper, we present a method to analyze dynamic performance of an MHI and some basic guidelines to design controller in order to meet desired specifications. Experimental validation of the theoretical results is reported.