Communicating with Humans and Robots: A Motion Tracking Data Glove for Enhanced Support of Deafblind

In a 3D user interface, interaction plays an important role in helping users to manipulate 3D objects in virtual environments. 3D devices, such as data glove and motion tracking, can potentially give users the opportunity to manipulate 3D objects in virtual reality environments such as checking, zooming, translating, rotating, merging and splitting 3D objects in a more natural and easy manner through the use of hand gestures. Hand gestures are often applied in 3D interaction techniques for converting the manipulation mode. This paper will discuss the interaction technique in a virtual environment using a combination of the Push and Pull navigation and the rotation technique. The unimanual use of these 3D interaction techniques can improve the effectiveness of users in their interaction with and manipulation of 3D objects. This study has enhanced the capability of the unimanual 3D interaction technique in terms of 3D interaction feedback in virtual environments.

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Wearable Haptic Device for an IPT System Based on Pneumatic Muscles

Volume 2: 27th Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/detc2007-34750 ◽

2007 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mika Iltanen ◽

Asko Ellman ◽

Joonas Laitinen

Keyword(s):

Fiber Optics ◽

Motion Tracking ◽

Force Feedback ◽

Feedback System ◽

Virtual Space ◽

Human Interaction ◽

Primary Input ◽

Data Glove ◽

Haptic System ◽

Mckibben Actuators

The human haptic system has an important role to play in human interaction with Virtual Environments (VEs). Unlike the visual and auditory systems, the haptic sense is capable of both sensing and acting on the environment and is an indispensable part of many human activities. In order to provide the realism needed for effective and compelling applications, VEs need to provide inputs to, and mirror the outputs of, the haptic system. These characteristics are the most important issues in the design of confined spaces and mechanical constructions using 6 DOF input devices in Immersive Projection Technology (IPT) or Cave-like systems. Inputs to the haptic system are in the form of haptic displays and outputs are actuator action commands, where the primary input/output variables are displacements and forces. The idea of total free movement in the IPT system was one of the corner stones of the present study. Therefore the force feedback system should also be wearable. The observer is able to reach objects placed above and below, grip them, and move freely in virtual space. This paper discusses the hardware and software structure of the haptic force feedback system for an IPT system, the theoretical functionality of McKibben actuators and the measured performance of a glove. Force control is based on fast solenoid valves, PID controller and a developed pneumatic muscle model. Muscle actuators are attached to the forearm and control the electronics and valves to a wearable backpack. A developed sensing and force-reflecting exoskeleton applies force to all four fingers and also the thumb. The device has five active DOFs, one for each finger. An ascension motion tracking device is used to track the position and orientation of the forearm. A Fifth Dimensional Technologies fiber optics data glove is used to measure the position of the fingers and provides better information on finger movements. Virtools 4.0 software and VRPN interface was used to connect the data glove, feedback device and PC-cluster.

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