User interface device for robots, robot systems and related methods
Inventors
Daltorio, Kathryn • Zhou, Jianfeng
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12572205-B2
Publication Date
2026-03-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
A wearable human-machine interface device includes a base, a finger, a sensor, and an interface controller. The finger extends longitudinally from the base and including first and second rigid finger segments. A proximal end of the first finger segment is coupled to the base, and a proximal end of the second finger segment is coupled to a distal end of the first finger segment by a joint. The joint is adapted to enable rotational movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment. The sensor is coupled to the finger and configured to provide a sensor signal representative of a position and/or movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment. An interface controller is configured to provide a control signal representative of a flexion of the finger and/or a position of a fingertip of the finger based on the sensor signal.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention provides a wearable human-machine interface device comprising a base and a finger extending longitudinally from the base with first and second finger segments. A proximal end of the first finger segment is coupled to the base, and a proximal end of the second finger segment is coupled to a distal end of the first finger segment by a joint adapted to enable movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment. A sensor coupled to the finger provides a sensor signal representative of a position and/or movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment, and an interface controller provides a control signal representative of flexion of the finger and/or a position of a distal tip of the finger based on the sensor signal.
The invention further couples the wearable interface device to a legged robot through a communications link between the robot and the interface device. The robot includes a body with a plurality of legs, at least one leg having a leg joint with a robot joint angle, and an actuator that moves the at least one leg relative to the body. A robot controller determines a foot position for a respective foot based on the control signal received through the communications link, determines a corresponding robot joint angle based on inverse kinematics applied to the foot position, and controls the actuator based on the corresponding robot joint angle.
In addition, the disclosed robot system provides feedback to the user through the wearable interface device. A robot controller provides a feedback signal to the interface controller through the communications link based on a robot sensor signal, and the interface controller is configured to provide user-perceptible feedback at the interface device based on the feedback signal, including force/haptic feedback. The document also describes mapping techniques including Joint Angle Mapping (JAM) and Tip Position Mapping (TPM), where joint angle sensors and/or flex sensors are used together with inverse kinematics and forward kinematics to obtain control signals representative of finger flexion and distal-tip/fingertip position.
Claims Coverage
The document includes four independent claims. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on a wearable finger interface with jointed finger segments and sensors producing position and/or movement signals, an interface controller generating control signals representing finger flexion and/or distal-tip position, and robot systems with communications-based control, inverse-kinematics control, and user-perceptible feedback.
Wearable finger human-machine interface for flexion and distal-tip position control
A wearable human-machine interface device comprising a base; a finger extending longitudinally from the base and including first and second finger segments coupled by a joint enabling movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment; a sensor coupled to the finger configured to provide a sensor signal representative of a position and/or movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment; and an interface controller configured to provide a control signal representative of a flexion of the finger and/or a position of a distal tip of the finger based on the sensor signal.
Wearable multi-finger interface controller providing multiple control signals
A wearable human-machine interface device comprising a base; a first finger extending longitudinally from the base and including first and second finger segments coupled by a joint enabling movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment, and a first sensor providing a first sensor signal representative of a position and/or movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment; a second finger extending longitudinally from the base and including third and fourth finger segments coupled by a second joint enabling movement of the fourth finger segment relative to the third finger segment, and a second sensor providing a second sensor signal representative of a position and/or movement of the fourth finger segment relative to the third finger segment; and an interface controller configured to provide a first control signal representative of a flexion of the first finger and/or a position of a distal tip of the first finger based on the first sensor signal, and configured to provide a second control signal representative of a flexion of the second finger and/or a position of a distal tip of the second finger based on the second sensor signal.
Legged robot system with inverse-kinematics control based on distal-tip finger position
A robot system comprising a locomotive robot coupled to the interface device through a communications link between the robot and the interface device, the robot controller being configured to control the actuator to move the limb based on the control signal received through the communications link, wherein the robot controller is configured to determine a corresponding robot joint angle based on inverse kinematics applied to a foot position derived from the received control signal including position data representative of a position of the distal tip of the finger.
Bidirectional feedback from robot sensors to user-perceptible feedback at the interface device
A robot system in which the robot controller provides a feedback signal to the interface controller through the communications link based on a robot sensor signal, and the interface controller provides user-perceptible feedback at the interface device based on the feedback signal.
Across the independent claims, the document covers a wearable jointed finger interface with sensors producing position and/or movement signals and an interface controller generating control signals representing finger flexion and/or distal-tip position, a multi-finger version producing multiple control signals, and robot systems where locomotion actuator control is based on communications-received finger-derived control signals using inverse kinematics and where robot sensor signals are used to generate user-perceptible feedback at the interface device.
Stated Advantages
Provides user-perceptible feedback at the interface device based on robot sensor signals.
Enables legged robot locomotion by mapping sensed finger flexion and/or distal-tip position to control signals for determining foot position and corresponding robot joint angles using inverse kinematics.
Supports multiple mapping approaches using joint angle mapping (JAM) and tip position mapping (TPM) with kinematics.
Documented Applications
Manual obstacle avoidance gaits using the interface-controlled mapping, with example performance tests comparing JAM vs TPM for precision and efficiency.
Autonomous obstacle avoidance gaits using a camera-based autonomous gait and evaluation of obstacle avoidance performance with the interface-controlled mapping (reported as manual vs autonomous comparisons).
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