Development of a Novel Slip Haptic Display Device Based on the Localized Displacement Phenomenon

Abstract

Human-in-the-loop task involving soft contact has become common in robotic manipulation research, especially in tele-operation and robotic surgery. Soft contact in this task may include a soft-fingered robot hand gripping a rock, or robotic control of forceps to pick up a tissue sample. In these scenarios, operators normally struggle with controlling the gripping force of the remote robotic hand, so that the grasped object is neither dropped nor damaged. Information about slippage, especially incipient slippage (or preslide), occurring at the contact surface is not properly sensed by the operator through cutaneous tactile feedback. This study aimed to generate preslide sensation on human fingertip for enhancement of slip perception of soft objects. We hypothesized that use of a method that can reproduce localized slippage can enhance human perception of slippage based on our previous study of soft-based contact. We created a grounded slip haptic display device, which can efficiently assess partial slippage on a human fingertip efficiently using a bundle of pins under only one actuation. This letter focuses on the creation of the device, including its theoretical underpinnings and design process, as well as assessing its efficiency in enhancing skin stretching through static and dynamic simulations. The device can be utilized to assess the slide process of a human fingertip, perceiving how and when slippage occurs on the contact surface; and can act as a platform for studies on human tactile perception.