Application of haptic feedback to a combot

In the sport of combat robotics, there is a strong incentive to produce machines with high power-to-weight ratios. To produce more power, electric motors in these machines are operated well above their rated specifications, leading to a shortened working life and the risk of over-temperature failure. This paper discusses the design of a system to haptically display the instantaneous current draw and temperature of the motors of a combot and the application of this system to the drivetrain of a preexisting combot. To give the driver a sense of the remotely controlled machine's state, the current draw is presented to the operator by vibrating the control joystick and the temperatures of the handles are controlled to match the temperatures of the motors. Tested in combat, this system shows promise as a means to reduce damage, improve performance, and increase driver awareness of the machine's state.