A pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device

Abstract

This invention discloses a pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand teleoperation tactile force feedback device, including a gripping main frame for hand holding; a movable support is installed at the front end of the gripping main frame corresponding to the fingertip of each finger, and a fingertip airbag is provided on the movable support; the fingertip airbag is connected to a pneumatic servo control module, which is used to adjust the inflation and deflation volume of the fingertip airbag according to the pressure sensing signal of the bionic robotic hand; this invention uses airbags to simulate the pressure sensing signal of the bionic robotic hand, which can replace the existing piezoelectric ceramic actuator combined with wearable gloves, overcome the low piezoelectric coefficient and the requirement for high driving voltage, and at the same time improve the sense of force in the hand.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of tactile force feedback technology for bionic robotic hands remotely operated robots, and particularly relates to a pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand remotely operated tactile force feedback device. Background Technology

[0002] Tactile force feedback devices are fundamental to enhancing the sense of presence in teleoperated robots, directly impacting the operational performance of teleoperation systems. They are widely used in surgical robots, exoskeletons, and space stations. In remote bionic hand robot operations, tactile information is transmitted remotely to the operator, which is crucial for recognizing tactile sensations and accurately controlling objects. Tactile feedback actuators, which transmit physical tactile sensations to the operator, are gradually becoming a development trend in the semi-autonomous operation of bionic hand teleoperated robots in hazardous environments, replacing manual labor.

[0003] Existing hand force feedback actuators often employ piezoelectric ceramic actuators combined with wearable gloves or other carriers. They primarily rely on high-frequency vibrations to transmit force feedback signals, resulting in a weak sense of force presence. Furthermore, the cumbersome wearable components often lead to a poor user experience. These actuators also need to overcome the challenges of low piezoelectric coefficients and the requirement for high driving voltages. For example, the PMN-PT single-crystal tactile actuator has a displacement of only 37μm and a peak driving voltage of 150V. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand teleoperation tactile force feedback device to replace the existing force feedback method based on piezoelectric ceramic actuators and wearable gloves, overcoming the low piezoelectric coefficient and the requirement for high driving voltage.

[0005] The present invention adopts the following technical solution: a pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand remote operation tactile force feedback device, including a gripping main frame for hand gripping;

[0006] A movable support is installed at the front end of the main grip frame, corresponding to the fingertip of each finger, and a fingertip airbag is provided on the movable support;

[0007] The fingertip airbag is connected to a pneumatic servo control module, which is used to adjust the inflation and deflation of the fingertip airbag according to the pressure sensor signal at the end of the bionic robotic hand.

[0008] Furthermore, mounting slots for installing movable supports are provided at the corresponding positions between the front end of the main grip frame and each finger.

[0009] Furthermore, each mounting slot is provided with a second mounting hole;

[0010] A spring is provided at the rear end of the movable support, and the other end of the spring is fixed in the second mounting hole.

[0011] Furthermore, several first mounting holes are also provided around the second mounting hole in the mounting groove;

[0012] Several guide columns are provided at the rear end of the movable support;

[0013] The first mounting hole is used to accommodate the guide post.

[0014] Furthermore, the axis of the guide post is parallel to the axis of the spring.

[0015] Furthermore, the fingertip air bladder is strip-shaped;

[0016] The air bladder at the tip of the thumb runs in a front-to-back direction.

[0017] The air sacs at the tips of the other fingers run in an up-down direction.

[0018] Furthermore, the air inlet and outlet of the fingertip airbag corresponding to the tip of the thumb are located at the front end;

[0019] The air inlets and outlets of the fingertip airbags, which correspond to the fingertips of the other fingers, are located at the lower end.

[0020] Furthermore, the top surface of the main frame is curved.

[0021] Furthermore, a palm feedback airbag is provided on the curved surface at the position corresponding to the palm.

[0022] Furthermore, the palm feedback airbag is strip-shaped and runs in a left-right direction.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this invention are: by using an airbag to simulate the pressure sensing signal of a bionic robotic hand, this invention can replace the existing method of combining a piezoelectric ceramic actuator with a wearable glove, overcoming the low piezoelectric coefficient and the requirement for high driving voltage, while improving the sense of force in the hand. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand remote operation tactile force feedback device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the gripping main frame in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the movable support in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the usage state of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Among them: 10. Holding main frame; 11. First mounting hole; 12. Second mounting hole;

[0029] 20. Movable support; 21. Finger tip airbag; 22. Guide column; 23. Spring;

[0030] 30. Palm feedback airbag;

[0031] 40. Hands. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0033] As the operating environments of teleoperated robots in industrial applications become increasingly complex, and the precision and complexity of their tasks increase, tactile feedback actuator technology is crucial for enhancing the sense of presence in teleoperated robots. Therefore, the bionic hand teleoperated tactile force feedback device proposed in this invention, based on an integrated multi-path aerodynamic feedback component, can effectively improve the power density and force perception of the force feedback device.

[0034] This invention relates to tactile feedback technology for bionic hand-operated robots, which uses an integrated multi-airway aerodynamic feedback component to perform force feedback tasks during the telemanipulation process of the bionic manipulator.

[0035] Specifically, this invention discloses a pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, it includes a gripping main frame 10 for the hand 40 to hold; a movable support 20 is installed at the front end of the gripping main frame 10 at the position corresponding to the fingertip of each finger, and a fingertip airbag 21 is provided on the movable support 20; the fingertip airbag 21 is connected to a pneumatic servo control module, which is used to adjust the inflation and deflation of the fingertip airbag 21 according to the pressure sensing signal of the bionic robotic hand end.

[0036] This invention uses an airbag to simulate the pressure sensing signal of a bionic robotic hand, which can replace the existing technology of combining piezoelectric ceramic actuators with wearable gloves. This overcomes the low piezoelectric coefficient and the requirement for high driving voltage, while improving the sense of force in the hand.

[0037] In this embodiment, a mounting groove for installing the movable support 20 is provided at the corresponding position between the front end of the grip frame 10 and each finger. The mounting groove design allows the fingertip airbag 21 to match the surface of the grip frame 10, thus allowing the fingers to maintain a naturally curved state.

[0038] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, each mounting slot has a second mounting hole 12; a spring 23 is provided at the rear end of the movable support 20, and the other end of the spring 23 is fixed in the second mounting hole. By designing the mounting hole, a part of the spring 23 can be inserted into and fixed in the second mounting hole 12, which improves the connection stability and also allows the length of the extended part of the spring 23 to be adjusted so that the fingertip airbag 21 matches the surface of the grip body frame 10 better.

[0039] In addition, to improve the balance of the movable support 20, several first mounting holes 11 are provided around the second mounting hole 12 in the mounting groove; several guide posts 22 are provided at the rear end of the movable support 20; among them, the first mounting holes 11 are used to accommodate the guide posts 22. The axis of the guide post 22 is parallel to the axis of the spring 23. After adding the guide posts 22, the cross section of the movable support 20 can be kept perpendicular to the axis of the spring 23 during the back-and-forth movement, that is, the force at each position on the cross section is balanced, so as to prevent the angle change of the movable support 20 itself from affecting the tactile sensation of the fingertip airbag 21, and keep the contact surface between the fingertip airbag 21 and the fingertip stable.

[0040] In this invention, the gripping main frame 10 mainly integrates the key structural design of the gripping mechanism. The main function of the gripping main frame 10 is to provide the first mounting hole 11 and the second mounting hole 12 for supporting the movable support 20, and to provide an installation position for the palm force feedback airbag. The first mounting hole 11 and the second mounting hole 12 are divided into 5 groups. Their axial spatial angles, relative positions, and movement strokes are designed with reference to the kinematic model of the human hand skeleton. The movable supports 20 corresponding to the index, middle, ring, and little fingers have angles of 8°, 4°, and 10° along the movement direction of their mounting holes, respectively. This angle setting ensures that the force feedback airbag remains in close contact with the corresponding part of the hand during the gripping process, conforming to ergonomic design. Figure 4 For example, it demonstrates good compatibility with the human left palm.

[0041] The movable support 20 is kinematically engaged with the grip frame 10 via four guide pillars 22. A spring 23 is installed between the movable support 20 and the grip frame 10, providing the movable support 20 with a rebound force along the guide pillars. This design aims to ensure that the movable support 20 remains firmly in contact with the left hand regardless of hand position. Fingertip force feedback airbags are installed in five different zones on the airbag movable supports, with the force feedback airbag (palm) positioned in the palm recess of the grip frame.

[0042] The spring 23 and the guide post 22 work together to enable the airbag movable support to have a certain displacement and rebound effect along the direction of the guide post, so as to ensure that the force feedback airbag always keeps in close contact with the human hand to ensure that the force feedback effect is constant as the human hand position changes.

[0043] The addition of spring 23 may have some impact on the accuracy of force feedback. Therefore, after completing the assembly test, the feedback force of each air path should be calibrated to ensure the accuracy of force feedback. The specific calibration method is as follows: First, activate the single-channel force feedback airbag (i.e., fingertip airbag) to enter the no-load pressure holding state. Attach a pressure sensor to the surface of the force feedback airbag. Then, grip the force feedback device tightly. The control system outputs a signal to make the force feedback airbag run at full load. At this time, if the pressure sensor reading is stable within the range of 45%-75% of the bionic hand end pressure sensor, it can be considered that the path can effectively provide tactile force feedback.

[0044] It should be noted that the force feedback airbag is a custom product. Its airbag body and air inlet are made of polyvinyl chloride material in one piece. When working, the air inlet has both intake and exhaust functions, requiring the bionic hand remote operation tactile force feedback control system to have single air path pressure control capability.

[0045] As a specific implementation, the fingertip airbag 21 is strip-shaped; the fingertip airbag 21 corresponding to the thumb tip runs in a front-to-back direction; the fingertip airbags 21 corresponding to the other fingertips run in a vertical direction. The air inlet and outlet of the fingertip airbag 21 corresponding to the thumb tip is located at the front end; the air inlet and outlet of the fingertip airbags 21 corresponding to the other fingertips are located at the lower end.

[0046] The fingertip airbag 21 is fixed to the outside of the airbag movable support 20 by adhesive bonding. One end of the spring 23 is installed in the central large hole of the airbag movable support 20 by interference fit, and the other end is installed in the second mounting hole 12 in the grip main frame 10 by interference fit. Four 35 guide posts 22 are connected to the airbag movable support 20 by threads, and the wire ends of the guide posts 22 are installed in the first mounting hole 9 in the grip main frame 10.

[0047] When a person grasps the main frame 10, the force feedback airbag performs a force feedback mapping action based on the pressure sensing signal of the thin-film pressure sensor component at the end of the bionic robotic hand, "transmitting" the pressure at the end of the bionic robotic hand to the human hand, so that the remote operator can perceive the changes in the pressure signal at the driven end in real time.

[0048] Since the fingertip has a certain length, the fingertip airbag is designed to be similar in length to the fingertip, allowing the fingertip airbag 21 to have more contact with the fingertip, thus increasing the tactile sensation. Furthermore, when the hand 40 is gripping, the thumb points forward and backward, while the other four fingers point up and down. Therefore, to make the fingertip airbag 21 fit the fingertip more closely, the angle of the fingertip airbag 21 can be adjusted according to the operator's specific finger angle.

[0049] To achieve a better fit between the hand and the shape of the gripping main frame 10, the top surface of the gripping main frame 10 is curved. This curved surface can also be made according to the operator's hand shape.

[0050] More specifically, a palm feedback airbag 30 is provided on the curved surface at the position corresponding to the palm. The palm feedback airbag 30 is strip-shaped and runs in a left-right direction. The palm feedback airbag 30 can increase the operator's palm tactile sensation, and combined with the inter-palm tactile sensation, it can enhance the overall tactile experience.

[0051] In summary, this invention provides a bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device that integrates a multi-path aerodynamic feedback component and a gripping main frame. This addresses the shortcomings of existing piezoelectric ceramic actuators combined with wearable glove-based force feedback systems, such as low piezoelectric coefficients and high drive voltage requirements. Furthermore, the piezoelectric servo channels can be expanded and arranged according to the needs of the work task.

[0052] Moreover, the bionic hand teleoperation tactile force feedback device based on multi-channel pneumatic components proposed in this invention integrates flexible sensing, pneumatic servo control system and ergonomic grip mechanism design, which improves the sense of presence of force at the human hand in the bionic robotic hand teleoperation scenario, and enhances the safety and versatility of the bionic robotic hand teleoperation system while ensuring control accuracy.

[0053] This invention enhances the sense of force perception in the bionic robotic arm's teleoperation system while being compatible with more tactile force feedback scenarios. The thin-film pressure sensor, pneumatic servo control module, and multi-path aerodynamic force feedback components are all scalable, allowing for redistribution and parameter adjustment according to actual force feedback scenarios. Furthermore, they can be integrated with other sensors to achieve multimodal feedback effects.

[0054] It should be noted that, in Figure 1 Currently, only the fingertip force feedback airbag is installed at the movable support of the airbag in the middle part. In addition, airbags at the fingertips, finger joints, etc. can be added according to the complexity of the bionic hand remote operation task. The installation method is the same as that of the movable support of the airbag 20 and the fingertip airbag 21.

[0055] In summary, this bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device based on multi-channel pneumatic components has a compact overall structure, stable performance, and low production cost.

Claims

1. A pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device, characterized in that, Includes a gripping body frame (10) for hand (40) gripping; The front end of the gripping main frame (10) is equipped with a movable support (20) at the position corresponding to the fingertip of each finger, and the movable support (20) is provided with a fingertip airbag (21). The fingertip airbag (21) is connected to the pneumatic servo control module, which is used to adjust the inflation and deflation of the fingertip airbag (21) according to the pressure sensing signal of the bionic robotic hand. The front end of the gripping main frame (10) is provided with a mounting groove for installing the movable support (20) at the corresponding position between each finger; Each of the mounting slots is provided with a second mounting hole (12); The rear end of the movable support (20) is provided with a spring (23), and the other end of the spring (23) is fixed in the second mounting hole; The mounting groove is also provided with a plurality of first mounting holes (11) surrounding the second mounting hole (12); The rear end of the movable support (20) is provided with several guide columns (22). The first mounting hole (11) is used to accommodate the guide post (22). The axis of the guide post (22) is parallel to the axis of the spring (23); The fingertip airbag (21) is strip-shaped; The fingertip air sac (21) corresponding to the tip of the thumb is oriented in a front-to-back direction; The fingertip air sacs (21) corresponding to the fingertips of the other fingers are oriented in the up-down direction.

2. The pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet and outlet of the fingertip airbag (21) corresponding to the tip of the thumb are located at the front end; The air inlet and outlet of the fingertip airbag (21) corresponding to the fingertips of the other fingers are located at the lower end.

3. The pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The top surface of the gripping main frame (10) is an arc-shaped surface.

4. The pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, A palm feedback airbag (30) is provided on the arc-shaped surface at the position corresponding to the palm.

5. The pneumatic multi-channel bionic hand-operated tactile force feedback device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The palm feedback airbag (30) is strip-shaped and runs in the left-right direction.

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