Large Workspace Haptic Devices - A New Actuation Approach

Large workspace haptic devices have unique requirements, requiring increased power capabilities along with increased safety considerations. While there are numerous haptic devices available, large workspace systems are hampered by the limitations of current actuation technology. To address this, the Distributed Macro-Mini (DM²) actuation method has been applied to the design of a large workspace haptic device. In this paper, the DM² method is described and we present experimental results which demonstrate its effectiveness. Finally, the control design is presented along with a discussion of the unique challenges associated with its robustness.