Apparatus and method for controlling a force-activated controller

An apparatus for controlling an actuator comprising a control member for receiving an applied force from an operator,

• a force sensor for sensing the force applied to said control member,
• a trajectory generator adapted to generate a desired trajectory to be executed by the control member in the direction of the external force applied to the control member by the user, the desired trajectory comprising a series of position values representing positions for the control member over a period of time, the series of position values being generated by the trajectory generator based on and in the direction of the external force applied by the user and measured by the force sensor;
• and said trajectory generator being adapted to generate and output a signal therefrom representing said desired trajectory, and means to feed said signal to an actuator controller for controlling said actuator in response to said signal.

An apparatus for controlling an actuator, comprising a control member for receiving by contact with an operator a force from said operator,

• a force sensor for sensing said force applied to said control member, a trajectory generator adapted to generate a desired trajectory to be executed by the control member in the direction of the external force applied to the control member by the user, the desired trajectory comprising a series of position values representing positions for the control member over a period of time, the series of position values being generated by the trajectory generator based on and in the direction of the external force applied by the user and measured by the force sensor;
• and said trajectory generator being adapted to generate and output a signal therefrom representing said desired trajectory, and
• an actuator controller to receive said signal and adapted to control an said actuator in response to said signal.

An apparatus for controlling movement of a control member comprising drive means for driving movement of said control member, a force sensor for sensing an external force applied to said control member by an operator, converter means for converting the force measured by said sensor into a value of displacement for said control member from a present position to a future, different position;

• a generator for generating from said value of displacement a series of position values as a function of time for said control member between said present position and said future position, said series of position values as a function of time defining a trajectory that is to be executed by said control member, and
• a controller to control said drive means in response to said series of positions.