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Castaneda TS, Matos J, Capsi-Morales P, Piazza C. Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Normal and Shear Forces During Grasping, Manipulation and Social Activities. IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot 2023; 2023:1-6. [PMID: 37941284 DOI: 10.1109/icorr58425.2023.10304717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Extensive research has established and widely acknowledged the important contribution of human hand sensory receptors in providing tactile feedback. The absence of these receptors results in a poor perception of the environment, impairing our efficient manipulation skills. Although the literature emphasizes the significance of normal forces in human grasping, further investigations should point toward the role of shear forces in this process. This paper presents an analysis of human everyday grasping activities through the use of 20 three-axis magnetic soft skin force sensors, in the form of rings and bands, that measure both normal and shear forces. Our study includes twelve tasks that cover various grasping requirements. Results highlight the importance of spatial information and the usefulness of shear forces in the prediction of unexpected changes that can not be always observed in normal forces. Tactile sensing can ultimately be integrated into prosthetic and rehabilitation devices for improved control and potentially provide sensory feedback to the user.
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Zanoni A, Garbo P, Masarati P, Quaranta G. Frustrated Total Internal Reflection Measurement System for Pilot Inceptor Grip Pressure. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:6308. [PMID: 37514602 PMCID: PMC10386139 DOI: 10.3390/s23146308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Sensing the interaction between the pilot and the control inceptors can provide important information about the pilot's activity during flight, potentially enabling the objective measurement of the pilot workload, the application of preventive actions against loss of situational awareness, and the identification of the insurgence of adverse couplings with the vehicle dynamics. This work presents an innovative pressure-sensing device developed to be seamlessly integrated into the grips of conventional aircraft control inceptors. The sensor, based on frustrated total internal reflection of light, is composed of low-cost elements and can be easily manufactured to be applicable to different hand pressure ranges. The characteristics of the sensor are first demonstrated in laboratory calibration tests. Subsequently, applications in flight simulator testing are presented, focusing on the objective representation of the pilot's instantaneous workload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Zanoni
- Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Pierre Garbo
- Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Masarati
- Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Quaranta
- Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, Italy
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Sun YC, Effati M, Naguib HE, Nejat G. SoftSAR: The New Softer Side of Socially Assistive Robots-Soft Robotics with Social Human-Robot Interaction Skills. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 23:432. [PMID: 36617030 PMCID: PMC9824785 DOI: 10.3390/s23010432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
When we think of "soft" in terms of socially assistive robots (SARs), it is mainly in reference to the soft outer shells of these robots, ranging from robotic teddy bears to furry robot pets. However, soft robotics is a promising field that has not yet been leveraged by SAR design. Soft robotics is the incorporation of smart materials to achieve biomimetic motions, active deformations, and responsive sensing. By utilizing these distinctive characteristics, a new type of SAR can be developed that has the potential to be safer to interact with, more flexible, and uniquely uses novel interaction modes (colors/shapes) to engage in a heighted human-robot interaction. In this perspective article, we coin this new collaborative research area as SoftSAR. We provide extensive discussions on just how soft robotics can be utilized to positively impact SARs, from their actuation mechanisms to the sensory designs, and how valuable they will be in informing future SAR design and applications. With extensive discussions on the fundamental mechanisms of soft robotic technologies, we outline a number of key SAR research areas that can benefit from using unique soft robotic mechanisms, which will result in the creation of the new field of SoftSAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Sun
- Autonomous Systems and Biomechatronics Laboratory (ASBLab), Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
- Toronto Smart Materials and Structures (TSMART), Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Meysam Effati
- Autonomous Systems and Biomechatronics Laboratory (ASBLab), Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Hani E. Naguib
- Toronto Smart Materials and Structures (TSMART), Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
- Toronto Institute of Advanced Manufacturing (TIAM), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
- Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada
| | - Goldie Nejat
- Autonomous Systems and Biomechatronics Laboratory (ASBLab), Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
- Toronto Institute of Advanced Manufacturing (TIAM), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
- Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, North York, ON M6A 2E1, Canada
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Pei D, Olikkal P, Adali T, Vinjamuri R. Dynamical Synergies of Multidigit Hand Prehension. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:4177. [PMID: 35684800 PMCID: PMC9185513 DOI: 10.3390/s22114177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hand prehension requires highly coordinated control of contact forces. The high-dimensional sensorimotor system of the human hand operates at ease, but poses several challenges when replicated in artificial hands. This paper investigates how the dynamical synergies, coordinated spatiotemporal patterns of contact forces, contribute to the hand grasp, and whether they could potentially capture the force primitives in a low-dimensional space. Ten right-handed subjects were recruited to grasp and hold mass-varied objects. The contact forces during this multidigit prehension were recorded using an instrumented grip glove. The dynamical synergies were derived using principal component analysis (PCA). The contact force patterns during the grasps were reconstructed using the first few synergies. The significance of the dynamical synergies, the influence of load forces and task configurations on the synergies were explained. This study also discussed the contribution of biomechanical constraints on the first few synergies and the current challenges and possible applications of the dynamical synergies in the design and control of exoskeletons. The integration of the dynamical synergies into exoskeletons will be realized in the near future.
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