<title>Constraint coupling of force and motion between real and virtual mechanisms</title>

Abstract

In the approach presented in this research, a six DOF industrial manipulator is used as the master device to provide haptic feedback to the operator. In order develop effective constraints between the motion of the slave and master, a virtual manipulator concept is developed that couples the actual robotic kinematics with the constraints of the simulated slave manipulator. The position and velocity errors between the actual and virtual mechanisms are used to develop an optimal impedance controller that constrains the motion of the master in all directions that are orthogonal to the allowable motions of the slave. This approach allows the use of a conventional industrial manipulator as an effective haptic display device.