HUMAN-MACHINE INTERACTION IN HUMAN ASSISTED ROBOTIC SYSTEMS

THIS PROJECT INTRODUCES A NEW CLASS OF ROBOT MANIPULATORS CALLED EXTENDERS. EXTENDERS ARE WORN BY HUMANS AND INCREASEHUMAN MECHANICAL ABILITY WHILE THE HUMAN'S INTELLECT SERVES AS THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENT CONTROL SYSTEM FOR MANIPULATING THE EXTENDER. THE HUMAN BODY, IN PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE EXTENDER, EXCHANGES POWER AND INFORMATION SIGNALS WITH IT. THIS PROJECT'S OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP GROUND RULES FOR THE CONTROL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS WORN BY HUMANS THROUGH THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND CONTROL OF A SIMPLE EXPERIMENTAL EXTENDER. THIS KNOWLEDGE WILL BE THE BASIS FORTHE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A MULTI-DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM EXTENDER IN PHASE II. THIS PROJECT INTRODUCES A NEW CLASS OF ROBOT MANIPULATORS CALLED EXTENDERS. EXTENDERS ARE WORN BY HUMANS AND INCREASEHUMAN MECHANICAL ABILITY WHILE THE HUMAN'S INTELLECT SERVES AS THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENT CONTROL SYSTEM FOR MANIPULATING THE EXTENDER. THE HUMAN BODY, IN PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE EXTENDER, EXCHANGES POWER AND INFORMATION SIGNALS WITH IT. THIS PROJECT'S OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP GROUND RULES FOR THE CONTROL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS WORN BY HUMANS THROUGH THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND CONTROL OF A SIMPLE EXPERIMENTAL EXTENDER. THIS KNOWLEDGE WILL BE THE BASIS FORTHE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A MULTI-DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM EXTENDER IN PHASE II.