Thesis title

Design, Implementation and Testing of a Data Glove with Force Feedback for Virtual and Real Objects Telemanipulation

Abstract

Remote manipulators are known to have two major dificiencies : firstly a significant dificiency in the ergonomy which is exhibited at the level of the master system as well as at the level of the tool carried by the slave arm.

The grippers which are generally constituted of two fingers, are far from offering the possibility of dexterity in object handling. Secondly, there are slight qualifications in the substance of conviviality because of the insufficient pertinent sensory feedback, from the master universe to the operator.

The use of Virtual Reality (VR) techniques should be very helpful in reducing these two dificiencies. In order to use these advantages, we should be able to build a virtual world which, on one hand should be adequately related to the machines to be controlled, and on the other hand excites the human sensorial system in a fashion identical to that induced by the slave universe. In adequately addressing the visual, haptic and auditory systems of the operator, the latter should be submerged in a world similar to the real world and find strong means for better controlling the machine, where behavior is infuenced by the operator.

Our study is limited to finger force feedback which is caused by the interaction between a user in virtual hand and a virtual object during dextrous manipulation. We have therefore realized a data glove with fourteen degrees of freedom and with force feedback on each joint. This glove can be connected to a virtual scene where the operator will not only see the hand but also sense every contact with a virtual object.

In order to test the capabilities of this glove, an artificial hand, homomorphic of the data glove was realized and used as a end-effector of a robot. We have therefore built a remote manipulation system with bilateral force feedback that can provide a high dexterity.

Key words : Remote dextrous manipulation, virtual reality, data glove, force feedback, artificial hand.

Table of contents

Abstract

Introduction

Chapter 1 : Virtual reality in telemanipulation systems

	1.1 Introduction to Telemanipulation
		1.1.1 Evolution of the interface of telemanipulation systems
		1.1.2 Application requiring dextrous telemanipulation
		1.1.3 Difficulties with telemanipulation
		1.1.4 State of the Art in Virtual Telemanipulation
	1.2 Virtual Reality tools for telemanipulation
		1.2.1 Visualization Helmets
		1.2.2 Sensing Gloves
		1.2.3 Tactile feedback systems
		1.2.4 Three dimensional sensors
		1.2.5 Three dimensional sound generators
	1.3 Modeling the virtual scene for telemanipulation
		1.3.1 Realistic animation of an object in real time
		1.3.2 Calibration model of the Virtual Environment
		1.3.3 Manipulation aid with virtual fixtures
	1.4 Force Feedback Systems for Telemanipulation
		1.4.1 Non portable systems with hand worn force feedback
		1.4.2 Force Feedback Exoskeletal Arms
		1.4.3 Portable force feedback systems
		1.4.4 Portable Force Feedback Gloves
	1.5 Conclusion: Virtual Reality to the aid of telemanipulation

Chapter 2 : Biomechanical modeling of the human hand

	2.1 Geometric Modeling
		2.1.1 Skeleton description of the hand
		2.1.2 Interphalangian biomechanics of the fingers
		2.1.3 Direct Geometric model
		2.2 Static model of the hand
		2.2.1 Muscular Anatomy
		2.2.2 Model of a muscle : strength-length relationship
		2.2.3 Model of a tendon : angle-displacement relationship
	2.3 Analysis of human grasping
		2.3.1 Work space of the fingers
		2.3.2 Prehension forces
	2.4 Modeling of the impedance of a finger
	2.5 Conclusion

	
Chapter 3 : Geometric and static analysis of a force feedback glove

	3.1 Description of the functioning principle
		3.1.1 Criteria in the design of a force feedback data glove
		3.1.2 Description of the different solutions studied
		3.1.3 Description of the chosen solution
	3.2 Modeling of the mechanism of a phalanx
		3.2.1 Geometric analysis
		3.2.2 Static analysis
	3.3 Five finger artificial hand
		3.3.1 Principle of the artificial hand
		3.3.2 Geometric analysis
		3.3.3 Static analysis
		3.3.4 Transformation of movements model
	3.4 Static analysis of the constrained finger
	3.5 Conclusion

Chapter 4 : Design and Control of a force feedback data glove

	4.1 Mecatronic Description of a force feedback system
		4.1.1 Mechanical structure
		4.1.2 Actuators and transmissions
		4.1.3 Displacement Sensors
		4.1.4 Force sensors
		4.1.5 Electronic architecture
	4.2 Control model
		4.2.1 Modeling and identifying the motor parameters
		4.2.2 Modeling of the friction and of the backlash of the cable transmission
		4.2.3 Modeling of the force control in motors
	4.3 Five finger artificial hand
		4.3.1 Mecatronic description of the prototype
		4.3.2 Control of the artificial hand by the force feedback glove
		4.3.3 Position control of the artificial hand
	4.4 Conclusion

Chapter 5 : Experimentation of the force feedback data glove in telemanipulation

	5.1 General description of the experimental system
		5.1.1 Experimental Site without force feedback
		5.1.2 Experimental telemanipulation site
		5.2 Calibration of the glove
	5.3 Virtual telemanipulation
		5.3.1 Evaluation of the precision of the glove
		5.3.2 Evaluation of the band width of the glove
		5.3.3 Recognition of a virtual object
	5.4 Direct telemanipulation with the artificial hand
		5.4.1 Evaluation of the precision of the artificial hand
		5.4.2 Evaluation of the band width of the artificial hand
		5.4.3 Recognition of a real object

Conclusions and Perspectives
References

Committe

• Mr JC. Angué Professor at the University of Valenciennes (Reporter)
• Mr E. Dombre Director of reserach at C.N.R.S. (Reporter)
• Mr A. Jutard Professor at I.N.S.A. of Lyon (Reporter)
• Mr P. Coiffet Director of reserach at C.N.R.S. (Examiner)
• Mr JM Détriché Director of laboratory STR/CERM at C.E.A. (Examiner)
• Mr T. Fukuda Professor at the University of Nagoya, Japon (Examiner)
• Mr JC. Guinot Professor at the University Pierre and Marie Curie (Examiner)
• Mr W. Khalil Professor at the Ecole Centrale of Nantes (Examiner)

Get the poscript format of the english version

Chapter 1 (18 pp, 09.5 Mo)
Chapter 2 (18 pp, 13.4 Mo)
Chapter 3 (15 pp, 08.9 Mo)
Chapter 4 (15 pp, 12.4 Mo)
Chapter 5 (26 pp, 4.1 Mo)

Get the poscript format of the french version