HAPTIC MANIPULATION SYSTEM FOR WHEELCHAIRS

• US 20130046438A1
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Summer, Matthew D., Bosscher, Paul M., Davis, Laurance H. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,026,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/14 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/04 motor-driven A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1051 Arrangements for steering
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1094 Tables, working plates or trays
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/025 comprising haptic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/30 End effector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/31 Gripping jaw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/34 force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm

Abstract

A robotic arm is mounted on a personal mobility device, such as a wheelchair, scooter or the like, and is controlled with a user input interface, also mounted on the personal mobility device. The user input interface has a grip operable by the user to move in a plurality of orthogonal directions, both spatially and angularly, having articulating arms supporting a housing with a pivot member.

Claims

1. A personal mobility device comprising:

a robotic arm mechanically coupled to the personal mobility device;

a user input interface mechanically coupled to the personal mobility device and having a grip operable by a user to move in a plurality of orthogonal directions;

at least one sensor configured for measuring movement of the grip in a plurality of orthogonal directions;

a control unit responsive to a plurality of sensor signals produced by the at least one sensor for generating output control signals configured to control movement, the control unit operable to implement at least two states comprising;

a first state in which the output control signals are configured to exclusively control a motion of a motorized vehicle base portion of the personal mobility device; and

a second state in which the output control signals are configured to exclusively control a motion of a robotic arm attached to the personal mobility device.

2. The personal mobility device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises a third state in which the output control signals are configured to automatically selectively control the motorized vehicle base portion of the personal mobility device and the robotic arm.

3. The personal mobility device according to claim 1, further comprising a user actuated sensor coupled to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to transition between at least the first state and the second state in response to a user actuation of said user actuated sensor.

4. The personal mobility device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of orthogonal directions include three orthogonal linear directions, and three orthogonal axes of rotation.

5. The personal mobility device according to claim 4, wherein the user input interface comprises:

a plurality of articulating arms, each mounted at a base end to an interface base and coupled at an opposing end to a housing, said plurality of articulating arms operable for translational movement of said housing in three orthogonal directions;

a pivot member disposed in said housing arranged to pitch, roll and yaw about a single pivot point;

said grip attached to said pivot member; and

wherein said at least one sensor includes at least one first sensor configured for measuring said linear translational movement, and at least one second sensor configured to detect pitch, roll and yaw motion of said pivot member about said pivot point produced by motion of said grip.

6. The personal mobility device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one motive device configured to apply a force to the grip.

7. The personal mobility device according to claim 6, wherein data received by the control unit from the robotic arm is used by the control unit to control said force applied by said at least one motive device to provide haptic feedback to the user of the user input interface.

8. The personal mobility device according to claim 1, further comprising an image sensor disposed on said robotic arm, and a video display positioned at a location on said personal mobility device and configured to display images detected by said image sensor.

9. The personal mobility device according to claim 8, wherein said image sensor is disposed proximate to a distal end of said robotic arm to which a robotic gripper is mounted.

10. A method for controlling a personal mobility system comprising a motorized vehicle base and a robotic arm, comprising:

determining movement of an input device in a plurality of orthogonal directions to generate corresponding output control signals;

selecting one of at least two states to control the personal mobility system, wherein when in a first state the output control signals are generated to control the motorized vehicle base of the personal mobility system and when in the second state the output control signals are generated to control the robotic arm of the personal mobility system; and

sending the output control signals to the personal mobility system.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein determining movement of the input device comprises:

determining a linear translation movement of a housing in three orthogonal directions; and

determining roll, pitch and yaw motion of a pivot member coupled to said housing; and

wherein at least a portion of the linear translation movement and the roll, pitch and yaw motion are used to generate said output control signals.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein when in the first state the output control signals are used to exclusively control the motorized vehicle base, and when in the second state the output control signals are used to exclusively control the robotic arm.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a third state in which the output control signals are used to automatically selectively control the motorized vehicle base and the robotic arm.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising applying a force to the input device to provide haptic feedback related to the personal mobility system to a user.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising receiving data from the robotic arm and using the data to control said force applied to the user input device.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising capturing an image at a distal end of said robotic arm proximate to a robotic gripper;

and

displaying said captured image on a display unit mounted to said personal mobility device.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of orthogonal directions include three orthogonal linear directions, and three orthogonal axes of rotation.

18. A personal mobility device comprising:

a robotic arm mechanically coupled to the personal mobility device;

a user input interface mechanically coupled to the personal mobility device and having a grip operable by a user to move in a plurality of orthogonal directions, including three orthogonal linear directions, and three orthogonal axes of rotation, for a total of six different directions;

at least one sensor configured for measuring movement of the user input interface in said plurality of orthogonal directions;

a control unit responsive to a plurality of sensor signals produced by the at least one sensor for generating output control signals configured to control movement of said robotic arm in said plurality of orthogonal directions.

19. The personal mobility device according to claim 18, wherein the user input interface comprises:

a plurality of articulating arms, each mounted at a base end to an interface base and coupled at an opposing end to a housing, said plurality of articulating arms operable for translational movement of said housing in three orthogonal directions;

a pivot member disposed in said housing arranged to pitch, roll and yaw about a single pivot point;

said grip attached to said pivot member; and

wherein said at least one sensor includes at least one first sensor configured for measuring said linear translational movement, and at least one second sensor configured to detect pitch, roll and yaw motion of said pivot member about said pivot point produced by motion of said grip.

20. The personal mobility device according to claim 18, further comprising at least one motive device configured to apply a force to the grip.

21. The personal mobility device according to claim 20, wherein data received by the control unit from the robotic arm is used by the control unit to control said force applied by said at least one motive device to provide haptic feedback to the user of the user input interface.

22. The personal mobility device according to claim 18, further comprising an image sensor disposed on said robotic arm, and a video display positioned at a location on said personal mobility device configured to display images detected by said image sensor.

23. The personal mobility device according to claim 22, wherein said image sensor is disposed proximate to a distal end of said robotic arm to which a robotic gripper is mounted.