Initial investigations of hand-motion crane control with double-pendulum payloads

A novel hand-motion crane control system was developed that improves performance by providing: 1) an intuitive control interface and 2) an element that reduces the complex oscillatory behaviors of the payload. Operators wearing a reflective glove drive a crane simply by moving their hand through the desired path. A crane-mounted camera tracks the glove and its position is used to drive the crane. This paper presents an initial investigation of the hand-motion crane control interface with double-pendulum payloads. Experimental results from a 10-ton industrial bridge crane demonstrate the utility of the interface and oscillation-control method.