Showing papers by "Michael A. Peshkin published in 2008"
TL;DR: The force profile of each partner during the target acquisition task revealed an emergent specialization of roles that could only have been negotiated through a haptic channel, and a "haptic Turing test," replicating human behaviors in a robot partner was attempted.
Abstract: Human partners working on a target acquisition task perform faster than do individuals on the same task, even though the partners consider each other to be an impediment. We recorded the force profile of each partner during the task, revealing an emergent specialization of roles that could only have been negotiated through a haptic channel. With this understanding of human haptic communication we attempted a "haptic Turing test," replicating human behaviors in a robot partner. Human participants consciously and incorrectly believed their partner was human. However, force profiles did not show specialization of roles in the human partner, nor enhanced dyadic performance, suggesting that haptic interaction holds a greater subconscious subtlety. We further report observations of a non-zero dyadic steady state force perhaps analogous to co-contraction within the limb of an individual, where it contributes to limb stiffness and disturbance rejection. We present results on disturbance rejection in a dyad, showing lack of an effective dyadic strategy for brief events.
214 citations
TL;DR: A novel robotic system for allowing challenging, yet safe, balance and mobility training in persons at high risk for falls that has emerged from a unique design process of a start-up product of a small company and a team of therapists, engineers, mechanical design experts, and rehabilitation scientists.
Abstract: Background and Purpose: Balance and mobility training consists of activities that carry a high risk for falling. The purpose of this article is to describe a novel robotic system for allowing challenging, yet safe, balance and mobility training in persons at high risk for falls. Method: With no initial preconceptions of what device we would build, a user-needs analysis led us to focus on increasing the level of challenge to a patient’s ability to maintain balance during gait training and also on maintaining direct involvement of a physical therapist (rather than attempting robotic replacement). The KineAssist® is a robotic device for gait and balance training that has emerged from a unique design process of a start-up product of a small company and a team of therapists, engineers, mechanical design experts, and rehabilitation scientists. Results: The KineAssist® provides partial body weight support and postural control on the torso; allows many axes of motion of the trunk and pelvis; leaves the patient’s ...
113 citations
13 Mar 2008
TL;DR: A new technique for adding physical damping to a haptic display through the use of analog electronics in the motor amplifier is presented, showing a performance improvement via a larger Z-width and larger range of passive virtual environment parameters.
Abstract: The "Z-Width" of a haptic display is the dynamic range of impedances that can be passively rendered Haptic displays with larger Z-width generally render more realistic feeling virtual environments We present a new method for measuring and displaying the Z- width of a haptic display Instead of stiffness-damping plots, we believe a more illustrative technique for plotting the Z-width of a haptic interface is the envelope of achievable passive impedances as a function of frequency Both hardware and analysis software for this new type of Z-width measurement are discussed As previous research has shown, the maximum passive impedance that a device can render is directly related to the physical damping available in the mechanism In an effort to maximize the Z-width of the haptic display, we present a new technique for adding physical damping to a haptic display through the use of analog electronics in the motor amplifier Due to its electrical nature, active electrical damping has the benefit of dynamically variable parameters with no added mechanical complexity or mass With the addition of active electrical damping, we show a performance improvement via a larger Z-width and larger range of passive virtual environment parameters
74 citations
01 Jan 2008
TL;DR: This work develops two techniques for controlling the apparent inertia in cobots to emulate the desired inertial properties of a virtual object or mechanism, and shows that the power actuator can be relatively low power compared to the actuators of a traditional robot performing similar tasks.
11 citations
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TL;DR: The method of moment arm manipulation for remote induction of net effective torque (MARIONET) is found to have distinct advantages that make it feasible for home rehabilitation as well as potential outside of the field.
Abstract: Our key motivation is the rehabilitation of individuals recovering from stroke or other neurological insult. The torque exerted by a cable-driven joint is the cross product of the line of action of the cable, known as the moment arm, and its tension. The subject of this article delves into this latter, less-studied quantity associated with torque. The concept of moment arm manipulation of a cable-driven joint is introduced, developed, formalized, and then examined with experiments on a physical, single-joint device. This method of moment arm manipulation, referred to as the moment arm manipulation for remote induction of net effective torque (MARIONET), is found to have distinct advantages that make it feasible for home rehabilitation as well as potential outside of the field.
7 citations
13 Mar 2008
TL;DR: The design of the thermal display portion of this device is presented, and through psychophysical temperature discrimination tests, the unique thermal response characteristics of intact hands and TRI-chests are explored.
Abstract: We are developing a multi-function haptic device that displays pressure, vibration, shear force, and temperature to the skin of upper extremity amputees, especially those who have undergone targeted nerve reinnervation (TRI) surgery. This paper presents the design of the thermal display portion of this device. Through psychophysical temperature discrimination tests, the unique thermal response characteristics of intact hands and TRI-chests are explored.
6 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the causes of micro-slips in the CVT and ways to lessen them through an alternative CVT design are described, as well as an alternative approach for CVT transmission.
Abstract: The continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a type of transmission that can adopt any arbitrary gear ratio. Whereas typical transmissions utilize toothed gears, the CVT employs a sphere in rolling contact with a set of rollers; loads applied to the CVT are supported across these rolling contacts, resulting in microslips of varying amounts at each contact area. In this paper, we describe the causes of microslips in the CVT and ways to lessen them through an alternative CVT design.
4 citations
01 Jan 2008
TL;DR: In this paper, the causes of micro-slips in the CVT and ways to lessen them through an alternative CVT design are described, and an alternative design for the CVTs is presented.
Abstract: The continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a type of transmission that can adoptany arbitrary gear ratio. Whereas typical transmissions utilize toothed gears, the CVTemploys a sphere in rolling contact with a set of rollers; loads applied to the CVT aresupported across these rolling contacts, resulting in microslips of varying amounts ateach contact area. In this paper, we describe the causes of microslips in the CVT andways to lessen them through an alternative CVT design.