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Presenter: Paul Sobejko - Department of Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor:

Date: Thu, April 4, 2002
Time: 14:00:00 - 15:00:00
Place: EOW 430

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

Two joysticks, one equipped with analog transducers (potentiometers) and one equipped with digital transducers (optical encoders), have been implemented in the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory. Unlike the 2 to 4-DOF (degree of freedom) joysticks usually seen on the market, these are full 6-DOF devices, meaning that the joystick handle can be moved in all possible ways (translations X, Y, Z and rotations about the X, Y, Z axes). As such, the joysticks are universal input devices which allow humans to interact with computer systems. They can be used in many applications - from computer pointing devices (i.e., 3D mice) for CAD, animation, and virtual reality software; to steering of ROVs and flying of helicopters; to remote control of robots and manipulators in industrial, medical, and space environments.

Both joysticks are based on a three-branch, 6-DOF parallel manipulator. Parallel manipulators are robotic devices with multiple branches affecting a common end-effector (the joystick handle). The branches, which connect the end-effector to the base of the manipulator, are serial chains of links connected together by joints.

In order to determine the physical location of the end-effector in an n-DOF device, the displacements of at least n-joints have to be measured. Measuring more joint displacements than necessary has many advantages, including the possibility of fail-safe operation. In the implemented joysticks, nine transducers are used for a 6-DOF task, which means three transducers are redundant. Exploiting this redundancy for detection and identification of transducer failures is the goal of the research.

This talk will describe the joysticks and their kinematics, demonstrate their fail-safe operation, and discuss and compare the performance of the two joysticks in terms of positional accuracy and ability to detect faults.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Coffee and Cookies Will be Provided

For Further Information Please Contact: Paul Sobejko (472-4065)