User interface device for robots, robot systems and related methods

A wearable human-machine interface device comprising:

• a base;
• a first finger extending longitudinally from the base and including first and second finger segments, in which a proximal end of the first finger segment is coupled to the base, a proximal end of the second finger segment is coupled to a distal end of the first finger segment by a joint, and the joint is adapted to enable movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment;
• a first sensor coupled to the finger and configured to provide 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, in which a proximal end of the third finger segment is coupled to the base, a proximal end of the fourth finger segment is coupled to a distal end of the third finger segment by a second joint, and the second joint is adapted to enable movement of the fourth finger segment relative to the third finger segment;
• and
• a second sensor coupled to the finger and configured to provide 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, wherein the interface controller is 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.

A robot system, comprising:

• a wearable human-machine interface device comprising:
• a base;
• a finger extending longitudinally from the base and including first and second finger segments, in which a proximal end of the first finger segment is coupled to the base, a proximal end of the second finger segment is coupled to a distal end of the first finger segment by a joint, and the joint is adapted to enable movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment;
• a sensor 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;
• 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;
• a locomotive robot coupled to the interface device through a communications link between the robot and the interface device, the robot comprising:
• a body;
• a limb extending from the body;
• an actuator coupled to the limb and configured to move the limb relative to the body to cause locomotion of the robot on or through a medium;
• a robot sensor configured to provide a robot sensor signal representative of a sensed condition associated with the robot;
• and
• a robot controller configured to control the actuator to move the limb based on the control signal, which is received through the communications link,
• wherein:
• the robot controller is configured to provide a feedback signal to the interface controller through the communications link, in which the feedback signal is based on robot sensor signal, and the interface controller is configured to provide user-perceptible feedback at the interface device based on the feedback signal.

A wearable human-machine interface device comprising:

• a base;
• a first finger extending longitudinally from the base and including first and second finger segments, in which a proximal end of the first finger segment is coupled to the base, a proximal end of the second finger segment is coupled to a distal end of the first finger segment by a joint, and the joint is adapted to enable movement of the second finger segment relative to the first finger segment;
• a first flex sensor that extends along a length of the finger and over the joint and configured to provide a first sensor signal representative of bending or deflection of the flex sensor responsive to the 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, in which a proximal end of the third finger segment is coupled to the base, a proximal end of the fourth finger segment is coupled to a distal end of the third finger segment by a second joint, and the second joint is adapted to enable movement of the fourth finger segment relative to the third finger segment;
• a second flex sensor extending along a length of the second finger and over the joint, the second flex sensor being configured to provide a second sensor signal representative of bending or deflection of the flex sensor responsive to 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 the interface controller is 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.