ProVAR assistive robot system architecture

This paper describes the implementation of a robot control architecture designed to combine a manipulation task design environment with a motion controller that uses the operational space formulation to define and implement arm trajectories and object manipulation. The ProVAR desktop manipulation system is an assistive robot for individuals with a severe physical disability, such as quadriplegia as a result of a high-level spinal cord injury. ProVAR allows non-technical operators access to the robot's capabilities through a direct-manipulation simulation/preview user interface. The novel interface concept is based on two built-in characters to play the roles of helpful consultant and down-to-earth robot arm. This team-based interface concept was chosen to maximize user performance and comfort in controlling the inherently complex mechatronic technology. This paper describes our design decisions and rationale.

[1]  H.F.M. Van der Loos,et al.  VA/Stanford rehabilitation robotics research and development program: lessons learned in the application of robotics technology to the field of rehabilitation , 1995 .

[2]  Jakob Nielsen,et al.  The art of navigating through hypertext , 1990, CACM.

[3]  L.J. Leifer,et al.  A graphical programming language for robots operating in lightly structured environments , 1993, [1993] Proceedings IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[4]  Riadh Cammoun,et al.  Clinical evaluation of the 'MASTER' robot system and development of a new version , 1993, Robotica.

[5]  C. A. Stanger,et al.  Demographics of rehabilitation robotics users , 1996 .

[6]  Carlo Collodi,et al.  Avventure di Pinocchio , 1932 .

[7]  Oussama Khatib,et al.  Real-Time Obstacle Avoidance for Manipulators and Mobile Robots , 1986 .

[8]  Clifford Nass,et al.  The media equation - how people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places , 1996 .

[9]  Ray G. Gosine,et al.  An interactive robot control environment for rehabilitation applications , 1993, Robotica.

[10]  M. Hogg,et al.  Knowing what to think by knowing who you are: self-categorization and the nature of norm formation, conformity and group polarization. , 1990, The British journal of social psychology.

[11]  Oussama Khatib,et al.  A unified approach for motion and force control of robot manipulators: The operational space formulation , 1987, IEEE J. Robotics Autom..