Development of Intuitive Mechanism for Position Control of Soft Robot
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Amir Ali Amiri Moghadam
Department
SPCEET - Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering
Abstract
This study presents the development of a master/slave system utilizing a twin Stewart mechanism as a specialized joystick with 6 Degrees of Freedom (DOF). The aim is to create an intuitive and single-handedly controllable interface for surgeons, enabling precise manipulation of a soft robot's end-effector. The design process involves selecting the Stewart mechanism for its 6 DOF capability, determining its size based on the surgeon's hand motion range, and manufacturing it through 3D printing. Rotational potentiometers are integrated onto each leg for accurate displacement sensing, translating hand motion to passive leg movements, mapped to desired bending actions in the active links of the soft robot through calibration. An Electromagnetic (EM) tracker attached to the robot end-effector senses its position, mapped to bending deformation of robot legs via kinematics models, and fed back to the controller for synchronization. The user interface comprises the Stewart mechanism joystick, potentiometers, EM tracker, and a controller, offering intuitive control for precise soft robot motion, enhancing surgical precision in minimally invasive procedures.
Disciplines
Biomechanical Engineering
Development of Intuitive Mechanism for Position Control of Soft Robot
This study presents the development of a master/slave system utilizing a twin Stewart mechanism as a specialized joystick with 6 Degrees of Freedom (DOF). The aim is to create an intuitive and single-handedly controllable interface for surgeons, enabling precise manipulation of a soft robot's end-effector. The design process involves selecting the Stewart mechanism for its 6 DOF capability, determining its size based on the surgeon's hand motion range, and manufacturing it through 3D printing. Rotational potentiometers are integrated onto each leg for accurate displacement sensing, translating hand motion to passive leg movements, mapped to desired bending actions in the active links of the soft robot through calibration. An Electromagnetic (EM) tracker attached to the robot end-effector senses its position, mapped to bending deformation of robot legs via kinematics models, and fed back to the controller for synchronization. The user interface comprises the Stewart mechanism joystick, potentiometers, EM tracker, and a controller, offering intuitive control for precise soft robot motion, enhancing surgical precision in minimally invasive procedures.