TY - JOUR
T1 - Enabling intuitive and effective micromanipulation
T2 - A wearable exoskeleton-integrated macro-to-micro teleoperation system with a 3D electrothermal microgripper
AU - Si, Guoning
AU - Zhang, Hanli
AU - Zhang, Zhuo
AU - Zhang, Xuping
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024
PY - 2024/11
Y1 - 2024/11
N2 - In this article, we present a novel teleoperation system for dexterous micromanipulation with a 3D three-fingered electrothermal microgripper. A lightweight wearable exoskeleton hand is designed and employed as the primary device, integrating rotational potentiometers as angle sensors, which are embedded in a closed-loop kinematic chain for detecting flexion/extension and adduction/abduction angles of motion. The measured angles are subsequently translated into exoskeleton hand-fingertip positions utilized as the primary inputs. A 3D electrothermal microgripper based tele-micro manipulation system is realized. The displacement of the exoskeleton fingertips is harnessed to govern the actions of the microgripper via an effective position incremental control method. Furthermore, the system's capabilities are exemplified through intricate micromanipulations performed on soft zebrafish embryos. The micromanipulations encompass gripping and rotational maneuvers. The outcomes of empirical experimentation clearly demonstrate the suitability of the macro-micro teleoperation system, which incorporates an exoskeleton hand for controlling a microgripper in 3D micromanipulation. The system improves operator comfort and maneuvering efficiency. Even for untrained users, the tasks can be accomplished with ease in an intuitive and effective way.
AB - In this article, we present a novel teleoperation system for dexterous micromanipulation with a 3D three-fingered electrothermal microgripper. A lightweight wearable exoskeleton hand is designed and employed as the primary device, integrating rotational potentiometers as angle sensors, which are embedded in a closed-loop kinematic chain for detecting flexion/extension and adduction/abduction angles of motion. The measured angles are subsequently translated into exoskeleton hand-fingertip positions utilized as the primary inputs. A 3D electrothermal microgripper based tele-micro manipulation system is realized. The displacement of the exoskeleton fingertips is harnessed to govern the actions of the microgripper via an effective position incremental control method. Furthermore, the system's capabilities are exemplified through intricate micromanipulations performed on soft zebrafish embryos. The micromanipulations encompass gripping and rotational maneuvers. The outcomes of empirical experimentation clearly demonstrate the suitability of the macro-micro teleoperation system, which incorporates an exoskeleton hand for controlling a microgripper in 3D micromanipulation. The system improves operator comfort and maneuvering efficiency. Even for untrained users, the tasks can be accomplished with ease in an intuitive and effective way.
KW - 3D micromanipulation
KW - Exoskeleton hand
KW - Macro-to-micro teleoperation system
KW - Primary-secondary mapping
KW - Zebrafish embryo
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85201225453
U2 - 10.1016/j.robot.2024.104776
DO - 10.1016/j.robot.2024.104776
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85201225453
SN - 0921-8890
VL - 181
JO - Robotics and Autonomous Systems
JF - Robotics and Autonomous Systems
M1 - 104776
ER -