Haptic Glove Using Tendon-Driven Soft Robotic Mechanism

Abstract

Recent advancements in virtual reality and augmented reality call for light-weight and compliant haptic interfaces to maximize the task-performance interactivity with the virtual or extended environment. Noting this, we propose a haptic glove using a tendon-driven compliant robotic mechanism. Our proposed interface can provide haptic feedback to two fingers of a user, an index finger and a thumb. It can provide both cutaneous and kinesthetic feedback to the fingers by using the tendon-driven system. Each actuator is paired with a force sensor to exert the desired tension accurately. In order to optimize the perception of the kinesthetic feedback, we propose a perception-based kinesthetic feedback distribution strategy. We experimentally measured the force perception weight for peripheral interphalangeal (PIP) and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. We observed no significant difference in the force perception between the two joints. Then, based on the obtained weights, our proposed force distribution method calculates the force for each joint. We also evaluated the effect of additional cutaneous feedback to the kinesthetic feedback, on the force perception at the fingertip. The experimental result has shown that additional cutaneous feedback has significantly increased the sensitivity of the human perception. Finally, we evaluated our proposed system and force distribution algorithm by conducting a human subject test. The experimental result indicates that the availability of the cutaneous feedback significantly improved the perceived realism and acuity of the contact force.

Tips and Details for Successful Robotic Myomectomy: Single-Center Experience with the First 125 Cases

“…In the future, the robotic surgical system will be improved and perfected towards being more intelligent, small, and reasonably priced. The introduction of tactile gloves [ 63 ], cell image navigation [ 64 ], fluorescence imaging [ 65 ], and other technologies into robotic surgery can help doctors determine key anatomical structures, determine tumor boundaries in solid organs, and evaluate blood perfusion in target tissues. The surgical instrument can be advanced to the surgical site through a non-linear path, thereby increasing the flexibility of the operation and breaking through the limitations of the surgical scope [ 66 ].…”

Human Assistance and Augmentation with Wearable Soft Robotics: a Literature Review and Perspectives

“…These actuators have been applied to assistive gloves (Fig. 2d) [37,53], wearable extra finger [38] and haptic glove [54]. They have also been used in exosuits for the shoulder [55], elbow (Fig.…”

Soft Robotic Glove with Sensing and Force Feedback for Rehabilitation in Virtual Reality

“…When using tendon-driven gloves, the actuators can be placed apart from the glove’s body to prevent the oversized glove from interfering with human hand movement. Previously, researchers combined tendons with a variety of actuators, such as shape memory alloys [ 21 ], twisted string actuators [ 22 ], and DC motors [ 23 ]. The use of a motor-tendon system avoids occupying too much volume on the back of the hand, provides the sufficient force, and allows simple control.…”

“…However, the current motor-tendon-driven gloves lack knowledge of whole-hand finger postures, limiting their application in assessing finger motions and rehabilitation. In addition, the general tendon-driven gloves either provide force feedback only to the thumb and index finger [ 21 , 23 ] or drive the five fingers using two tendons [ 22 ], exhibiting an oversimplified design and a low degree of freedom.…”