Development of 6-DOF haptic interface for tele-micromanipulation systems

Discusses a control scheme for a 6-DOF haptic interface for tele-micromanipulation systems. We have developed micro-teleoperation systems for micro tasks, such as assembly or manufacturing. We introduce a haptic interface that gives operators a sense of presence, as if he/she is touching an expanded version of the micro-object with his/her fingers. First, the system structure of the master manipulator and its system configuration are shown. To improve the free-motion performance and response-force isotropy of the master haptic device, a model-reference adaptive controller (MRAC) is introduced. Some experiments are conducted and their results are evaluated. Furthermore, we connected the master systems and a slave system through a network and evaluated the teleoperation property. Finally, we conclude with a discussion about our experimental results and a statement about our future work.