RePlaLink: Haptic Feedback System
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The haptic feedback system Reconfigurable Planar Linkage, short RePlaLink, enables haptic simulation and synthesis of hand-actuated mechanisms based on virtual prototypes.
Motivation
Humans interact with hand-actuated products on a daily basis. Examples are car doors, manual presses, furniture doors, machine housings, fitness equipment, or reconfigurable types of furniture. Developing hand-actuated mechanisms with good haptic properties is challenging. Beside interaction forces or motions, soft factors like perceived quality and user experience must be addressed.
Goal
Haptic feedbacks systems can support the development process through making virtual prototypes of hand-actuated mechanisms tangible to users. With this goal, the haptic feedback system RePlaLink is being developed at IGMR. Haptic simulation and synthesis methods allow users to directly feel the haptic properties of mechanisms. In addition, users can interactively modify these properties and get direct haptic feedback. As a result, the need for physical prototypes will be reduced and the development process becomes more targeted, cost-effective and safe.
Approach
The RePlaLink consists of a servo-driven kinematic structure with a handle as haptic interface. Due to its structure, it is particularly well suited to simulate planar mechanisms. The system measures, among others, the user forces, takes them into account in a real-time simulation of the virtual mechanism and displays its reaction. This allows users to directly feel the mechanism’s haptic properties while operating the system. Users can change them interactively by modifying the mechanism’s parameters and get direct haptic feedback. The videos introduce the structure of the RePlaLink and show the haptic simulation and synthesis of an exemplary hand-actuated mechanism.