Novel Control System for Haptic Actuation

Haptics is a growing area of robotics in which users physically interact with dynamic real/virtual environments via active robotic hand-controllers, known as “haptic devices”. Recent emerging applications of haptic technology such as rehabilitation or surgical training simulators require stable high-performance human-to-human interaction in real/virtual environments. Such haptic interaction requires powerful high-performance haptic devices that can produce large force/torque levels suitable for human-level interactions over sustained periods of time. The project partner, Quanser Consulting, has been developing a novel haptic actuation mechanism. The intern will design a torque observer/controller that will estimate the output torque of the Integrated Haptic Actuator (IHA) and use the estimate in a torque control loop to reduce friction, inertia and high force fidelity. The controlled IHA will be evaluated on a robotic haptic device and will be marketed by Quanser Consulting in the future.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Keyvan Hashtrudi-Zaad

Student:

Paul Karam

Partner:

Quanser Consulting

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Queen's University