Teleoperation: the language of the human hand

Teleoperation is examined from the viewpoint of the human hand and handcontrollers. Alternative handcontroller, including hand grip concepts are briefly reviewed and evaluated. A 'universal' Force-Reflecting Handcontroller (FRHC) developed and utilized by the Advanced Teleoperation System project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is described in some detail. It generalizes the bilateral (force-reflecting) manipulator control technique through force-torque sensor referenced and computer aided control, and elevates teleoperation to new levels of performance possibilities. Performance experiments are quoted, conducted on generic and application oriented (simulated satellite repair) tasks. Future plans are briefly discussed. They include integration of FRHC with DATAHAND capabilities and with an anthropomorphic master glove which is the ultimate capability for full utilization of the 'language of the human hand' in teleoperation.<
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