ANTHROPOMORPHIC CUTANEOUS TACTILE SENSING ON DEXTEROUS MECHANICAL HANDS

ALTHOUGH SPECIALLY DESIGNED END-EFFECTORS HAVE PROVIDED PRESENT DAY ROBOTS AND TELEOPERATOR SYSTEMS WITH THE ABILITY TO DO MANY INTRICATE TASKS, TRUE MANIPULATOR DEXTERITY WILL ONLY COME THROUGH THE USE OF MULTI-FINGERED ANTHROPOMORPHIC MECHANICAL HANDS. STABLE GRASPING OF IRREGULAR OBJECTS, OBJECT RECOGNITION, PRECISION ASSEMBLY, AND PERFORMANCE OF MANY INTRICATE TASKS NOW CONFINED TO HUMANS WILL BE ABLE TO BE PERFORMED IN A TELEOPERATION MODE IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WITH SUCH SYSTEMS. HOWEVER, CONTROLLING SUCH A TELEOPERATION SYSTEM DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF INTRICATE TASKS WITHOUT SENSORY FORCE FEEDBACK IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE. THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS AN APPROACH TO DEVELOP A NEAR-ANTHROPOMORPHIC TACTILE SENSING SYSTEM FOR THE UTAH/MIT DEXTEROUS HAND WHICH WILL FULFILL THE NEED FOR A SOPHISTICATED MAN/MACHINE INTERFACE FOR TELEOPERATION IN MILITARY AND OTHER APPLICATIONS.