Improvement of operability of extra robotic thumb using tactile feedback by electrical stimulation

Abstract

The final goal of our research is to embody of an extra robotic thumb. In order to achieve this goal, we use tactile feedback. At first, we developed the extra robotic thumb which has three joints. It is attached on left hand and controlled by the right hand thumb. The robotic thumb takes the same motions as the right thumb does. Besides, a tactile sensor is equipped on the tip of the robotic thumb. The right thumb is stimulated through the electrical stimulation device depending on the tactile force measured by this sensor. This device has electrodes and the operator wears it on the tip of the right thumb. Bolts picking experiment is conducted using the robotic thumb. Two sets of the experiments are performed with or without the tactile feedback. As a result, operability of ERT got better with the tactile feedback.