Haptic interaction using a PUMA560 and the ISU force reflecting exoskeleton system

Force feedback from the virtual world can greatly enhance the sense of immersion even for simple applications. The ISU force reflecting exoskeleton enables the user to interact dynamically with simulated environments by providing an electro-magnetic haptic interface between the human and the environment. This paper describes the force and trajectory control interface for the PUMA 560 manipulator that supports the ISU force reflecting exoskeleton hand tracking system. The combined exoskeleton-PUMA system allows the application of virtual forces to the digits of the human finger. Two different typical synthetic environments are programmed and tested using the ISU force reflecting exoskeleton haptic interface device. The experimental results shows that the magnetic interface gives adequate force levels for perception of virtual objects, enhancing the feeling of immersion in the virtual environment, and that the PUMA 560 provides adequate tracking and free motion capabilities for the ISU exoskeleton system