AN INNOVATIVE DEXTROUS HAND EXOSKELTON

DOE REQUIRES QUALITY SENSORY FEEDBACK FROM ROBOT TO OPERATOR: FINE MANIPULATION ACHIEVED THROUGH ROBOTIC HANDS CONTROLLED BY HUMAN-SIZED HAND EXOSKELTONS. THESE SIMPLIFY AND MAKE CONTROL MORE INTUITIVE WHEN COMPARED TO KEYBOARD OR JOYSTICK CONTROL. FORCE FEEDBACK TO THESE SMALL EXOSKELETONS REQUIRES SMALL VOLUME, HIGH EFFICIENCY, SEMI-LINEAR ACTUATOR MECHANISMS. THESE ACTUATORS PROVIDE HUMAN RANGE, FORCE, AND VELOCITY FEEDBACK TO EXOSKELETON SYSTEMS USED BY OPERATORS OF DEXTEROUS MANIPULATORS. THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A 12-AXIS DEXTROUS HAND EXOSKELETON (DHE) IS BEING INVESTIGATED IN PHASE I. THE DHE UTILIZES REVOLUTIONARY FORCE REFLECTING LINEAR ACTUATOR TECHNOLOGY AND A BREAK-THROUGH IN MECHANICAL JOINT TECHNOLOGY. THE APPLICATION OF ACTUATOR REINFORCED ELASTOMER LAMINATES REPLICATES THE FLEXIBILITY OF MUSCLES AND TISSUES IN HUMANS. THE USE OF PIEZOELECTRIC SURFACE ACTUATOR ARRAYS IN THE HAND WILL BE INVESTIGATED AS A METHOD TO PROVIDE A DELICATE SENSE OF TOUCH CRITICAL FOR DETECTING SLIPPAGE OF WORKPIECES.