Portable dextrous force feedback master for robot telemanipulation

A robot master comprising:

• a first support having means for coupling the first support to the thumb of the user's hand;
• a second support spaced from said first support and having means for coupling the second support to a finger of the user's hand for movement of the supports towards and away from each other along a longitudinal line;
• displacement sensing means connected to said supports for providing an output signal that is a function of the distance between said supports, wherein the sensing means includes first and second spaced sensing elements having means for sensing the displacement between said spaced sensing elements and wherein said first sensing element includes an electrical transformer and a magnetic core magnetically coupled to said transformer, said transformer and said core being joined to a different one of said supports;
• and
• a force feedback means mounted between said supports for providing a variable resistance against the displacement of said supports toward each other, wherein said force feedback means includes a pneumatic cylinder joined to one of the supports, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder, and a piston rod joined to the piston and to the other of the supports.

A robot system comprising:

• a first support having means for connecting the first support to the thumb of the user's hand;
• a second support spaced from said first support and having means for connecting the second support to a finger of the user's hand;
• displacement means connected to and extending between said supports, wherein said displacement means includes a sensing means, responsive to linear displacements of said supports with respect to each other, for providing an electrical output signal that is a function of the linear distance between said supports and a slide means for permitting linear displacements of said supports with respect to each other whereby said displacement means can extend adjacent the palm and between the fingers of the user's hand;
• a robot hand having end effectors;
• and
• control means connected to the output signal of said sensing means by a flexible line for transmitting said output signal to said control means, and said control means connected to said robot hand for moving the end effectors a predetermined distance with respect to each other in response to the value of the output signal.

A robot system comprising:

• a first support having means for coupling the first support to the thumb of the user's hand;
• a second support spaced from said first support and having means for coupling the second support to a finger of the user's hand of movement of the supports toward and away from each other along a longitudinal line;
• a force feedback means mounted between said supports for providing a variable resistance against the displacement of said supports toward each other, said force feedback means including a pneumatic cylinder joined to one of the supports and a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder and having a piston rod joined to the other of the supports;
• displacement sensing means connected to said supports for providing an output signal that is a function of the distance between said supports;
• a robot hand having end effectors;
• control means connected to output signal of said sensing means and said robot hand for moving the end effectors a predetermined distance with respect to each other in response to the value of the output signal;
• and
• a force sensing means mounted on the robot hand for sensing a manipulation force of one of the end effectors and for providing a feedback signal to said control means proportion to said manipulation force, wherein said control means includes means for varying the resistance of said force feedback means in response to changes in the feedback signal, said robot hand includes a plurality of tendons connected to said end effectors, said force sensing means includes a strain gauge mounted on one of said tendons for sensing the force therein, said sensing means includes first and second spaced sensing elements having means for sensing the displacement between said spaced sensing elements.