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Title: Mechanical interface having multiple grounded actuators

Abstract

An apparatus and method for interfacing the motion of a user-manipulable object with a computer system includes a user object physically contacted or grasped by a user. A 3-D spatial mechanism is coupled to the user object, such as a stylus or a medical instrument, and provides three degrees of freedom to the user object. Three grounded actuators provide forces in the three degrees of freedom. Two of the degrees of freedom are a planar workspace provided by a closed-loop linkage of members, and the third degree of freedom is rotation of the planar workspace provided by a rotatable carriage. Capstan drive mechanisms transmit forces between actuators and the user object and include drums coupled to the carriage, pulleys coupled to grounded actuators, and flexible cables transmitting force between the pulleys and the drums. The flexibility of the cable allows the drums to rotate with the carriage while the pulleys and actuators remain fixed to ground. The interface also may include a floating gimbal mechanism coupling the linkage to the user object. The floating gimbal mechanism includes rotatably coupled gimbal members that provide three degrees of freedom to the user object and capstan mechanisms coupled between sensors and the gimbalmore » members for providing enhanced sensor resolution.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
+ Show Inventor Affiliations
  1. Palo Alto, CA
  2. Sunnyvale, CA
  3. Pleasanton, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Immersion Human Interface Corp. (San Jose, CA)
OSTI Identifier:
871941
Patent Number(s):
5828197
Assignee:
Immersion Human Interface Corporation (San Jose, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61B - DIAGNOSIS
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B25 - HAND TOOLS B25J - MANIPULATORS
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DOE Contract Number:  
FG03-94ER86008
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
mechanical; interface; multiple; grounded; actuators; apparatus; method; interfacing; motion; user-manipulable; computer; user; physically; contacted; grasped; 3-d; spatial; mechanism; coupled; stylus; medical; instrument; provides; degrees; freedom; provide; forces; planar; workspace; provided; closed-loop; linkage; third; degree; rotation; rotatable; carriage; capstan; drive; mechanisms; transmit; drums; pulleys; flexible; cables; transmitting; force; flexibility; cable; allows; rotate; remain; fixed; ground; floating; gimbal; coupling; rotatably; sensors; providing; enhanced; sensor; resolution; gimbal mechanism; drive mechanism; providing enhanced; transmit forces; capstan drive; mechanisms transmit; drive mechanisms; third degree; floating gimbal; mechanical interface; flexible cable; transmit force; actuators provide; /318/345/901/

Citation Formats

Martin, Kenneth M, Levin, Mike D, and Rosenberg, Louis B. Mechanical interface having multiple grounded actuators. United States: N. p., 1998. Web.
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Martin, Kenneth M, Levin, Mike D, & Rosenberg, Louis B. Mechanical interface having multiple grounded actuators. United States.
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Martin, Kenneth M, Levin, Mike D, and Rosenberg, Louis B. Thu . "Mechanical interface having multiple grounded actuators". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871941.
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@article{osti_871941,
title = {Mechanical interface having multiple grounded actuators},
author = {Martin, Kenneth M and Levin, Mike D and Rosenberg, Louis B},
abstractNote = {An apparatus and method for interfacing the motion of a user-manipulable object with a computer system includes a user object physically contacted or grasped by a user. A 3-D spatial mechanism is coupled to the user object, such as a stylus or a medical instrument, and provides three degrees of freedom to the user object. Three grounded actuators provide forces in the three degrees of freedom. Two of the degrees of freedom are a planar workspace provided by a closed-loop linkage of members, and the third degree of freedom is rotation of the planar workspace provided by a rotatable carriage. Capstan drive mechanisms transmit forces between actuators and the user object and include drums coupled to the carriage, pulleys coupled to grounded actuators, and flexible cables transmitting force between the pulleys and the drums. The flexibility of the cable allows the drums to rotate with the carriage while the pulleys and actuators remain fixed to ground. The interface also may include a floating gimbal mechanism coupling the linkage to the user object. The floating gimbal mechanism includes rotatably coupled gimbal members that provide three degrees of freedom to the user object and capstan mechanisms coupled between sensors and the gimbal members for providing enhanced sensor resolution.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}
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Works referenced in this record:

Specification and design of input devices for teleoperation
conference, January 1990

Performance evaluation of a six-axis generalized force-reflecting teleoperator
journal, January 1991

Task performance with a dexterous teleoperated hand system
conference, March 1993

A Predictive Display With Force Feedback And Its Application To Remote Manipulation System With Transmission Time Delay
conference, January 1992

The phantom robot: predictive displays for teleoperation with time delay
conference, January 1990

A Survey of Position Trackers
journal, January 1992

Kinematic analysis of five-link spherical mechanisms
journal, June 1974

Pen-based haptic virtual environment
conference, January 1993

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