Haptic Wheelchair Arm Control Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of wheelchairs and scooters face difficulties in controlling robotic arms due to counterintuitive joystick controls and the lack of haptic feedback, making it challenging to perform everyday tasks that require fine sensory control.
Innovation Solution
A user input interface with a grip operable in multiple orthogonal directions, equipped with sensors and a control unit that generates output signals to control both the motorized vehicle base and robotic arm, providing haptic feedback through force sensors and a single control interface for intuitive and precise operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If joystick control is used to operate the robotic arm, then the control interface is simple, but the control becomes counterintuitive and clumsy without haptic feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements haptic feedback mechanisms that provide tactile information to the user during robotic arm operation. Force feedback and vibration signals are generated based on sensor data from the robotic arm, allowing the user to feel contact forces, grasp力度, and collision events. This resolves the contradiction by adding sensory feedback that was previously lost in simple joystick control.
2Device complexity
If a single control interface is used for both vehicle base and robotic arm, then the device complexity is reduced, but the control precision for each function may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically switches between controlling the vehicle base and the robotic arm based on operational mode. A mode selection mechanism allows the single control interface to adapt its function - when in base control mode, the grip controls vehicle movement; when in arm control mode, the same grip controls robotic arm positioning. This dynamic reconfiguration maintains control precision for each function while using a unified interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If robotic arm is added to personal mobility device, then the ability to manipulate objects is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control of the vehicle base and robotic arm into a single integrated control interface. The same grip device and sensor system are used for both functions, with a control system that manages both the base mobility and arm manipulation through unified input processing. This merging approach reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate control systems while maintaining full object manipulation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic arm is mounted on a personal mobility device, such as a wheelchair, scooter or the like, and is controlled with a user input interface, also mounted on the personal mobility device. The user input interface has a grip operable by the user to move in a plurality of orthogonal directions, both spatially and angularly, having articulating arms supporting a housing with a pivot member.