Tactile Feedback Disk Unit Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current haptic feedback technologies fail to effectively transfer and intuitively recognize power applied to a robot's finger to a user, limiting sophisticated control and safety in tasks involving sensitive tissues or objects.
Innovation Solution
A tactile feedback apparatus that adjusts the height, direction, or gradient of a disk unit based on sensor signals, allowing users to intuitively recognize power through a finger touch, using a combination of pneumatic or motor driving units and an elastic member to provide three degrees of freedom motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If haptic feedback apparatus adjusts disk unit height and gradient based on sensor signals, then tactile feedback quality and user control sophistication improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic feedback apparatus is divided into functionally independent modules: a disk unit for tactile contact, multiple driving units (pneumatic or motor) for multi-axis control, and an elastic member for force feedback. Each module performs a specific function, allowing complex tactile feedback to be achieved through coordinated simple components rather than a single complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The disk unit is designed to be dynamically adjustable in height, gradient direction, and gradient level based on real-time sensor signals. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to provide sophisticated tactile feedback for different surgical scenarios without requiring multiple fixed configurations or complex mechanical linkages.
2Measurement precision
If multiple driving units and elastic members are used to provide three degrees of freedom motion, then tactile feedback precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member acts as an intermediary between the driving units and the disk unit. It translates the combined action of multiple driving units into precise force feedback on the disk unit, enabling three degrees of freedom motion control without requiring direct complex mechanical coupling between all driving units and the disk.
3Ease of operation
If tactile feedback apparatus is applied to surgical robot, then user control sophistication and safety improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism where sensors detect the robot's interaction forces with tissue, the control unit processes this information, and the haptic feedback apparatus adjusts the disk unit's height and gradient in real-time to provide intuitive tactile feedback to the user. This allows sophisticated control with natural hand-eye coordination without requiring the user to mentally process complex force data.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances user control and safety by enabling intuitive recognition of power applied to a robot, improving efficiency and safety in tasks like surgical robotics by providing precise tactile feedback.
Implementation Method 1
using a combination of pneumatic or motor driving units
Implementation Method 2
adjusts the height at which a disk unit is supported, based on a signal generated by a sensor
Implementation Method 3
using a combination of pneumatic or motor driving units and an elastic member
Data Source
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AI summary
A tactile feedback apparatus, system, and a method of operating the tactile feedback apparatus. The tactile feedback apparatus may detect a finger of a user touching a disk unit, determine a height at which the disk unit is supported, based on a sensor signal representing a power, force or pressure on a remote or virtual component corresponding with the finger of the user, and support a lower portion of the disk unit by controlling N driving units to be set at the determined height, thereby providing power sensed by the sensor to the finger of the user touching the disk unit.