Analog Haptic Control: Advantages and Challenges

Abstract

Haptic simulation systems, which typically implement virtual environments in the discrete-time domain, present an inherent trade-off between stability, sampling frequency, and the range of implementable environment dynamics. Previous research has demonstrated the potential of analog feedback for expanding the range of environment dynamics that result in a stable haptic interaction. In this paper, the effect of various system parameters on the environment dynamic range is analytically and experimentally investigated in the sense of uncoupled stability. In addition, Multilayer Decomposition, which enables a simple analog PD controller to implement nonhomogeneous or multilayer virtual environment dynamics, will be presented and evaluated.