{"title":"Leveraging Haptic Feedback to Improve Data Quality and Quantity for Deep Imitation Learning Models","authors":"Catie Cuan;Allison Okamura;Mohi Khansari","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3384482","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3384482","url":null,"abstract":"Learning from demonstration is a proven technique to teach robots new skills. Data quality and quantity play a critical role in the performance of models trained using data collected from human demonstrations. In this paper we enhance an existing teleoperation data collection system with real-time haptic feedback to the human demonstrators; we observe improvements in the collected data throughput and in the performance of autonomous policies using models trained with the data. Our experimental testbed was a mobile manipulator robot that opened doors with latch handles. Evaluation of teleoperated data collection on eight real conference room doors found that adding haptic feedback improved data throughput by 6%. We additionally used the collected data to train six image-based deep imitation learning models, three with haptic feedback and three without it. These models were used to implement autonomous door-opening with the same type of robot used during data collection. A policy from a imitation learning model trained with data collected while the human demonstrators received haptic feedback performed on average 11% better than its counterpart trained with data collected without haptic feedback, indicating that haptic feedback provided during data collection resulted in improved autonomous policies.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"984-991"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140573009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Guillaume H. C. Duprez;Benoit P. Delhaye;Laurent Delannay
{"title":"Collagen Induces Anisotropy in Fingertip Subcutaneous Tissues During Contact","authors":"Guillaume H. C. Duprez;Benoit P. Delhaye;Laurent Delannay","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3406251","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3406251","url":null,"abstract":"The subcutaneous mechanical response of the fingertip is highly anisotropic due to the presence of a network of collagen fibers linking the outer skin layer to the bone. The impact of this anisotropy on the fingerpad deformation, which had not been studied until now, is here demonstrated using a two-dimensional finite element model of a transverse section of the finger. Different distributions of fiber orientations are considered: radial (physiologic), circumferential, and random (isotropic). The three variants of the model are assessed using experimental observations of a finger pressed on a flat surface. Predictions relying on the physiological orientation of fibers best reproduce experimental trends. Our results show that the orientation of fibers significantly influences the distribution of internal strains and stresses. This leads to a sudden change in the profile of contact pressure when transitioning from sticking to slipping. Interpreted in terms of tactile perception or sensation, these variations might represent important sensory cues for partial slip detection. This is also valuable information for the development of haptic devices.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"753-760"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141160334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Negin Heravi;Heather Culbertson;Allison M. Okamura;Jeannette Bohg
{"title":"Development and Evaluation of a Learning-Based Model for Real-Time Haptic Texture Rendering","authors":"Negin Heravi;Heather Culbertson;Allison M. Okamura;Jeannette Bohg","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3382258","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3382258","url":null,"abstract":"Current Virtual Reality (VR) environments lack the haptic signals that humans experience during real-life interactions, such as the sensation of texture during lateral movement on a surface. Adding realistic haptic textures to VR environments requires a model that generalizes to variations of a user's interaction and to the wide variety of existing textures in the world. Current methodologies for haptic texture rendering exist, but they usually develop one model per texture, resulting in low scalability. We present a deep learning-based action-conditional model for haptic texture rendering and evaluate its perceptual performance in rendering realistic texture vibrations through a multi-part human user study. This model is unified over all materials and uses data from a vision-based tactile sensor (GelSight) to render the appropriate surface conditioned on the user's action in real-time. For rendering texture, we use a high-bandwidth vibrotactile transducer attached to a 3D Systems Touch device. The results of our user study shows that our learning-based method creates high-frequency texture renderings with comparable or better quality than state-of-the-art methods without the need to learn a separate model per texture. Furthermore, we show that the method is capable of rendering previously unseen textures using a single GelSight image of their surface.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"705-716"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140305448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hardness Perceived When Sliding Over Roughened Surfaces","authors":"Qingyu Sun;Shogo Okamoto;Hongbo Wang","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3405728","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3405728","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of roughened surface features on the perceived hardness of various materials. Thirteen participants used a visual analog scale to evaluate the hardness of ten 3D-printed specimens by sliding a fingertip on them. The specimens had two types of surface features: flat and smooth, or with microscopic rectangular gratings. They were fabricated from two types of plastic with different Young's moduli—2.46 and 9.35 MPa. We found that both surface pattern and mechanical hardness significantly contributed to the perceived hardness of a material individually and without interaction. The roughened surfaces with rectangular gratings were judged to be harder than the flat and smooth surfaces of the same material. Among the parameters of the rectangular gratings, the groove width or periodic surface wavelength significantly contributed to the perceived hardness. Although the root cause of this phenomenon is unknown, friction caused by surface roughness is considered a potential mediator that influences the perceived hardness. The findings of this study can facilitate the manipulation of softness perception through surface design.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"992-997"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141158367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Astrid M.L. Kappers;Raymond J. Holt;Tessa J.W. Junggeburth;Max Fa Si Oen;Bart J.T. van de Wetering;Myrthe A. Plaisier
{"title":"Hands-Free Haptic Navigation Devices for Actual Walking","authors":"Astrid M.L. Kappers;Raymond J. Holt;Tessa J.W. Junggeburth;Max Fa Si Oen;Bart J.T. van de Wetering;Myrthe A. Plaisier","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3405551","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3405551","url":null,"abstract":"In this survey, we give an overview of hands-free haptic devices specifically designed for navigation guidance while walking. We present and discuss the devices by body part, namely devices for the arm, foot and leg, back, belly and shoulders, waist and finally the head. Although the majority of the experimental tests were successful in terms of reaching the target while being guided by the device, the experimental requirements were wide-ranging. The distances to be covered ranged from just a few meters to more than a kilometer, and while some of the devices worked autonomously, others required the experimenter to act as Wizard of Oz. To compare the usefulness and potential of these devices, we created a table in which we rated several relevant aspects such as autonomy, conspicuity and compactness. Major conclusions are that outdoor devices have the highest technology readiness level, because these allow autonomous navigation through GPS, and that the most compact devices still require the action of an experimenter. Unfortunately, none of the hands-free devices are at a level of readiness where they could be useful to people with visual impairments. The most important factor that should be improved is localization accuracy, which should be high and available at all times.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"528-545"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141158363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Novel Kinematic Gait Parameter-Based Vibrotactile Cue for Freezing of Gait Mitigation Among Parkinson's Patients: A Pilot Study","authors":"Rohan Khatavkar;Ashutosh Tiwari;Priyanka Bhat;Achal Kumar Srivastava;S Senthil Kumaran;Deepak Joshi","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3378917","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3378917","url":null,"abstract":"Auditory and visual cues have been efficacious in laboratory-based freezing of gait (FoG) mitigation in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, real-life applications of these cues are restricted due to inconvenience to the users. Closed-loop vibrotactile cues based on temporal gait events have overcome the shortcomings of auditory and visual cueing. However, kinematic gait parameter-driven vibrotactile cueing has not been explored yet. Kinematic gait parameter-driven cueing is more effective than temporal cueing, according to FoG pathophysiology studies. Therefore, we developed and pilot-tested a novel cueing scheme in which the foot-to-ground angle at heel strike (FGA_HS) is estimated using indigenous instrumented shoes to drive vibrotactile cueing. Ten PD freezers underwent a 6-meter timed walk test in the off-medication state with and without the cue and after medication without the cue. The proposed system potentially mitigated FoG, quantified by a reduction in the ratio of time spent freezing to the total walking time and the number of FoGs. The FoG mitigation potential of the cue was further supported by increased anteroposterior center of pressure progression and FGA_HS. With a future comprehensive validation in a larger number of participants, the novel cue could likely be used in practice and commercialized.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"689-704"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140287335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Providing Skin Stretch on the Lower Back - Design and Psychophysical Evaluation With a Stepping Task","authors":"Erick Jiménez-González;Chen Avraham;Asya Mikhaylov;Simona Bar-Haim;Ilana Nisky","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3381336","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3381336","url":null,"abstract":"Haptic devices are becoming popular in many applications, including medical, gaming, and consumer devices. Yet, the majority of studies focus on the use of haptics for the upper limbs, with much less attention to the stimulation of other regions of the body such as the lower back. In this study, we designed three types of skin stretch stimulation devices that can be placed on a belt and apply tactile stimulation on the lower back. We present these devices that apply lateral, longitudinal, and rotational skin stretch stimulation on the lower back, and evaluate their effectiveness in providing haptic commands for the lower limbs of healthy participants. We designed psychophysical experiments that quantify the discrimination accuracy of participants with a stepping task. The results demonstrate the ability of participants to discriminate two out of three features of stimulation provided on the lower back. These results demonstrate that skin stretch on the lower back can effectively transmit haptic signals and elicit responses in the lower limb for various applications. Future studies are needed to optimize providing skin stretch on the lower back to benefit various applications such as training, rehabilitation, gaming, and assistive devices.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"717-728"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140287336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cheng Huang;Shuang Ji;Zhenlei Chen;Tianyi Sun;Qing Guo;Yao Yan
{"title":"Identification and Analysis of Human-Exoskeleton Coupling Parameters in Lower Extremities","authors":"Cheng Huang;Shuang Ji;Zhenlei Chen;Tianyi Sun;Qing Guo;Yao Yan","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3375295","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3375295","url":null,"abstract":"This paper proposed linear and non-linear models for predicting human-exoskeleton coupling forces to enhance the studies of human-exoskeleton coupling dynamics. Then the parameters of these models were identified with a newly designed platform and the help of ten adult male and ten adult female volunteers (Age: \u0000<inline-formula><tex-math>$23.65 pm 4.03$</tex-math></inline-formula>\u0000 years, Height: \u0000<inline-formula><tex-math>$165.60 pm 8.32$</tex-math></inline-formula>\u0000 mm, Weight: \u0000<inline-formula><tex-math>$62.35 pm 14.09$</tex-math></inline-formula>\u0000 kg). Comparing the coupling force error predicted by the models with experimental measurements, one obtained a more accurate and robust prediction of the coupling forces with the non-linear model. Moreover, statistical analysis of the experimental data was performed to reveal the correlation between the coupling parameters and coupling positions and looseness. Finally, backpropagation (BP) neural network and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) were used to predict the human-exoskeleton coupling parameters. The significance of each input parameter to the human-exoskeleton coupling parameters was assessed by analyzing the sensitivity of GPR performance to its inputs. The novelty and contribution are the establishment of the non-linear coupling model, the design of the coupling experimental platform and a regression model which provides a possibility to obtain human-exoskeleton without experimental measurement and identification. Based on this work, one can optimize control algorithm and design comfortable human-exoskeleton interaction.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"650-661"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140174499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Motor Learning in Robot-Based Haptic Dyads: A Review","authors":"Erica L. Waters;Michelle J. Johnson","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3379035","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3379035","url":null,"abstract":"Rehabilitation robots have the potential to alleviate the global burden of neurorehabilitation. Robot-based multiplayer gaming with virtual and haptic interaction may improve motivation, engagement, and implicit learning in robotic therapy. Over the past few years, there has been growing interest in robot mediated haptic dyads, or human-robot-robot-human interaction. The effect of such a paradigm on motor learning in general and specifically for individuals with motor and/or cognitive impairments is an open area of research. We reviewed the literature to investigate the effect of a robot-based haptic dyad on motor learning. Thirty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. We summarize study characteristics including device, haptic rendering, and experimental task. Our main findings indicate that dyadic training's impact on motor learning is inconsistent in that some studies show significant improvement of motor training while others show no influence. We also find that the relative skill level of the partner and interaction characteristics such as stiffness of connection and availability of visual information influence motor learning outcomes. We discuss implications for neurorehabilitation and conclude that additional research is needed to determine optimal interaction characteristics for motor learning and to extend this research to individuals with cognitive and motor impairments.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"510-527"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140168231","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F. Barontini;M. G. Catalano;S. Fani;G. Grioli;M. Bianchi;A. Bicchi
{"title":"The CUFF, Clenching Upper-Limb Force Feedback Wearable Device: Design, Characterization and Validation","authors":"F. Barontini;M. G. Catalano;S. Fani;G. Grioli;M. Bianchi;A. Bicchi","doi":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3375010","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TOH.2024.3375010","url":null,"abstract":"This paper outlines the design, characterization, and validation of a novel wearable haptic device capable of delivering skin stretch, force feedback, or a combination of both, to the user's arm. In this study, we conducted physical and perceptual characterization with eleven able-bodied participants, and two separate experiments involving discrimination and manipulation tasks, encompassing a total of 32 participants. In both experiments, we used the CUFF device in conjunction with the Pisa/IIT SoftHand. The first experiment was a discrimination task in which participants were required to differentiate between pairs of cylinders based on their dimensions and perceived softness. The second experiment called for participants to control the robotic hand in order to grasp objects. Following the experiments, participants provided a subjective evaluation of the device. The results from the experiments and the participants' feedback underscored the effectiveness of the proposed device. Thanks to its versatility and structural design, the device shows promise as a viable solution for a variety of applications, including teleoperation, guidance, rehabilitation tasks, and prosthetic applications.","PeriodicalId":13215,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Haptics","volume":"17 4","pages":"662-675"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10472078","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140119345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}