JP2005267174A - Ball type touch device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a ball type touch device that allows an operator to create operation command values, while also making it possible to present shapes and forces to the operator in such a way that forces can be presented in six degrees of freedom. <P>SOLUTION: The ball type touch device 1 comprises a touch device body 2 and a controller 3. The touch device body 2 includes a ball part 4 and a touch sensor 16. The ball part 4 includes a ball 5 formed of an elastic surface cover, a telescoping mechanism 6, and a pressure sensor 7. The telescoping mechanism 6 has a plurality of actuators formed to extend radially from the center of the ball 5 toward the surface cover. The pressure sensor 7 is provided on a portion where the outer ends of the actuators are attached to the surface cover, in such a way as to correspond to a plurality of telescoping mechanisms 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a ball-type tactile device used as an information processing apparatus such as a computer or a remote apparatus such as a robot.

  Conventionally, a joystick, a master arm, a tactile device, or the like is used when operating a computer or remotely operating a robot (see Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3). In particular, a tactile device (for example, “PHANTOM” (trade name) etc.) capable of presenting force at the time of contact is considered promising.

  However, in a conventional joystick or the like, the method of generating a command value by gripping the grip portion and moving the grip requires the operator to constantly move the arm, and long-time operation causes great fatigue. Furthermore, a certain amount of installation space is required.

  In addition, the joystick is compact but cannot present force. Furthermore, a mouse used in a computer can specify a two-dimensional position, but is not suitable for use in a three-dimensional CAD or the like.

  By the way, the above-mentioned conventional tactile device produces a command value by gripping the grip part and moving the grip like PHANTOM, or presents hardness and softness (including force) by controlling the grip part. Yes. These operations not only make the operator very tired during long hours of operation, but also require a certain amount of space. Furthermore, with a joystick, the force cannot be presented with 6 degrees of freedom and the shape cannot be presented.

  In addition, a tactile device that can present a conventional shape is mainly wire driven, and is very complicated and large-scale.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and to realize a ball-type tactile device that can present force while being compact and can also be used as a mouse.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a ball-type tactile device that can present a reaction force as an input device from a person. When a person grasps the ball and applies force to the ball, Since the ball portion can be freely deformed, it is possible to present a shape and a force, thereby providing a ball-type haptic device.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a ball-type tactile device that is an input device that includes a tactile device body and a control device and can present a reaction force, and the tactile device body includes a ball portion and a tactile sense. The ball portion includes a ball formed of an elastic skin, an expansion / contraction mechanism, and a pressure sensor.

  The expansion / contraction mechanism has a plurality of actuators formed radially from the center of the ball toward the skin.

  The pressure sensor is provided at a portion where an outer end of the actuator is attached to the skin corresponding to the plurality of expansion / contraction mechanisms.

  In the present invention, by holding a ball having elasticity and applying a force to the ball part, a command value is generated and the ball part can be freely deformed. A ball-type haptic device can be provided. Furthermore, effects such as the ability to present force with 6 degrees of freedom are produced.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings and the like based on the embodiments.

  A ball-type haptic device 1 according to the present invention includes a haptic device main body 2 and a control device 3 as shown in FIG. The tactile device body 2 includes a ball portion 4 and a tactile sensor 5. The ball portion 4 includes a ball 5 formed of an elastic skin (elastic body), an expansion / contraction mechanism 6 and a pressure sensor 7.

  The ball 5 is fixed to the column 9 of the base 8. An extension mechanism 6 is employed in the ball 5 so that it can be deformed in all directions in three dimensions and 360 degrees, and a pressure sensor 7 for detecting a force acting on the extension mechanism 6 is installed. Furthermore, the surface of the ball 5 is covered with an elastic material.

  The expansion / contraction mechanism 6 includes a spherical central support 10 positioned at the center of the ball 5 and a plurality of expansion / contraction tools 11 extending radially from the central support 10. In the present embodiment, a linear actuator (direct acting actuator) is used as the extender 11. Of course, other actuators such as a hydraulic mechanism may be used.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a specific structure of a linear actuator (direct acting actuator) that is an example of the extendable tool 11 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, a small motor 13 having a support shaft 12 and a screw rod 14 that is screwed to a screwed rotary shaft 13 ′ of the motor 13 (a rotary shaft having a screw formed on the inner surface of the center hole). This is a mechanism for changing the rotational motion of the rotating shaft 13 of the motor 13 to linear motion. The inner end of the screw rod 14 is fixed to the center support 10, the support shaft 12 is extended in the radial direction from the motor 13, and the outer end thereof is appropriately fixed to the inner surface of the ball 5.

  When the motor 13 rotates, the screw rod 14 is pulled in the radial center direction or pulled out in the radial outward direction. The operator holding the ball 5 is given a sense of increasing or decreasing the resistance.

  The pressure sensor 7 is provided with a plurality of strain gauges 15 corresponding to the plurality of extenders 11. Each strain gauge 15 is provided in the immediate vicinity of the location where the outer end of the extensible tool 11 (the outer end of the screw rod 14) is fixed to the inner surface of the ball 5. An output line (not shown) is connected to each strain gauge 15 so as to take out a detection output, and is led to the outside through the support column 9 and connected to the control device 3.

  The strain gauge 15 detects a pressure corresponding to the gripping force of the ball 5 by the operator and sends this detection output to the control device 3. In the control device 3, by driving the motor 13 for a time corresponding to the detected pressure of each strain gauge 15, the screw rod 14 is moved in and out of the ball 5 to change the grip resistance force on the surface of the ball 5.

  The tactile sensor 16 is attached to the support column 9 that supports the ball 5. The tactile sensor 16 is provided with a plurality of strain gauges so that six-axis force and torque data can be acquired, and an output line is connected to each strain gauge so as to extract a detection output. And is connected to the control device 3.

  Since the pressure sensor 7 is paired with the expansion / contraction tool 11, torque data of a place where the expansion / contraction tool 11 is not installed cannot be detected by the pressure sensor 7. Therefore, the tactile sensor 16 is used to detect the data.

(Function)
The operation of the ball-type tactile device 1 according to the present invention having the above configuration will be described. First, the operator holds the ball 5 as shown in FIG. This state is the initial state. When a force is applied in this state, the pressure sensor 7 detects the force.

  Data of the detected pressure detected by the pressure sensor 7 is sent to the control device 3. The control device 3 calculates the deformation of the model built in the control device 3. The operation of the expansion / contraction mechanism 6 based on the deformation of the model is calculated in the control device 3. Based on this calculation result, the control device 3 sends an operation output to the motor 13, the expansion / contraction mechanism 6 operates, and the ball 5-type tactile device is deformed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the operator simply holds the ball-type tactile device 1 and does not apply a force, the pressure sensor 7 does not detect the force, so the telescopic mechanism 6 is not deformed. Get a sense of gripping a spherical rigid body.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, force is applied in the wrist direction with an index finger. The force is detected by the pressure sensor 7 at the location where the force is applied. This detected pressure is applied to the expansion / contraction mechanism 6 by a signal from the control device 3 according to the pressure sensor 7. As described above, when the apparatus is to be deformed in accordance with the applied force, the operator holds the ball 5 formed of an elastic skin (elastic body) and applies the force to the ball 5. I feel that

  Since the degree of expansion / contraction of the expansion / contraction mechanism 6 is finely controlled by the control device 3, various forces can be presented to the operator from a rigid body to a very soft elastic body. Thus, the degree of expansion / contraction of the expansion / contraction mechanism 6 acts as if to simulate the elastic coefficient of the elastic skin (elastic body) forming the ball 5.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, since the ball 5 of the present invention is deformed in all radial directions depending on how the operator grips, the pressure in all directions can be detected and the detection is possible. Command values for operations in all directions corresponding to the pressure can be generated and sent to the telescopic tool 11 at a location corresponding to the operation command signal to cause the operator to operate in all radial directions. It is possible to present power to

  The ball type 5 haptic device according to the present invention can also be used as an input device for remote operation of a robot arm. That is, the operator can operate the robot arm from a remote location using the ball 5 type tactile device. Since the ball 5 is deformed in all directions, command signals for operation can be generated in all directions, and command values can be presented in all directions.

  If a pressure sensor is also provided on the robot arm side, the detected pressure data is sent to the remote control device 3 to operate the telescopic mechanism 6 of the ball-type tactile device 1. As a result, an input device capable of presenting power to a remote operator is provided, and command values can be generated with six degrees of freedom.

  When the robot arm is moved in free space and does not come into contact with an object or an obstacle, the robot arm does not detect pressure, so there is no operation signal to the telescopic mechanism 6, that is, force presentation. However, when the robot arm comes into contact with the object, an external force acts on the robot arm, so that pressure data received by the contact is detected, and the detected data is transmitted to the remote control device 3, and the information is stored. By controlling the expansion / contraction mechanism 6 based on the force, the force acting on the robot arm can be presented to the operator.

  When the ball-type haptic device according to the present invention is used as a mouse, a conventional mouse can only express two dimensions, but can express three dimensions. This is particularly effective for three-dimensional CAD. It is also possible to touch a three-dimensional object constructed in the computer via this apparatus.

  Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, it can be applied as a mouse or a joystick as an ordinary computer input device, and as a joystick or a three-dimensional mouse as an operation means for remote operation of a robot.

It is a figure explaining the structure of the ball-type tactile device according to the present invention. It is a figure explaining the effect | action of the ball-type tactile device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the effect | action of the ball-type tactile device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the effect | action of the ball-type tactile device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the effect | action of the ball-type tactile device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the structure of the linear actuator which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Ball-type tactile device
2 Tactile device body
3 Control device
4 Ball part
5 balls
6 Telescopic mechanism
7 Pressure sensor
8 base
9 Prop
10 Center support
11 Elastic tools
12 Support shaft
13 Motor 13 'Motor rotation shaft
14 Screw rod
15 Strain gauge
16 Tactile sensor

Claims (4)

A ball-type tactile device that can present a reaction force as an input device from a person,
A command value is generated when a person holds the ball part and applies force to the ball part, and the ball part can be freely deformed, so that it is possible to present the shape and the force. A ball-shaped tactile device. A ball-type tactile device that is an input device that is composed of a tactile device body and a control device and can present a reaction force,
The tactile device body includes a ball portion and a tactile sensor,
The ball unit includes a ball formed of an elastic skin, an expansion / contraction mechanism, and a pressure sensor.   The ball-type haptic device, wherein the expansion / contraction mechanism has a plurality of actuators formed radially from the center of the ball toward the skin.   The ball-type haptic device, wherein the pressure sensor is provided at a portion where an outer end of the actuator is attached to the skin corresponding to the plurality of expansion / contraction mechanisms.