STTR Phase I: Haptics in Telerobotics for Improved Remote Dexterity

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to advance haptics - electromechanical systems that operate through the sense of touch. This technology may improve the performance of telemanipulation systems, making the operation similar to that of bare hands, and advance a new generation of robotic tools allowing humans to remotely feel and interact with environments at a distance. Early applications include scenarios where humans would be placed in dangerous (e.g., nuclear, chemical, deep sea, mining, and space), complicated (clean rooms and surgeries), or remote locations (remote maintenance). This technology may reduce the costs of telework (including improved access for those with disabilities), travel, and specialized, local healthcare workers. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will evaluate the contributions of realistic tactile and force feedback as well as biologically-inspired haptic reflexes in telemanipulation. Because experimental psychologists and physiologists have demonstrated that the absence of tactile sensory information is detrimental to the speed and dexterity of human hands, telerobot systems will seek to build these systems. This work seeks to advance haptics for improved telerobotics performance by making them robust to distraction and latency. Several technologies for force and tactile feedback, intelligent haptic reflexes, and control schemes will be developed and tested in a range of telerobotic tasks to evaluate their merits and suitability in candidate applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.