A 3-D Haptic Trackball Interface for Teleoperating Continuum Robots

Continuum robots offer many advantages for navigation in constrained environments, due to their flexible backbone and ability to conform to complex shapes. However, their non-intuitive kinematics can lead to challenges in the design and mapping strategies used for human-in-the-loop control interfaces. In this paper, we propose a new 3-D haptic trackball interface that is specifically designed to be both an input and feedback device for teleoperating continuum robots. The system allows the operator to control the tip position of the robot with high accuracy over a large workspace, and it provides haptic feedback, when necessary, in order to assist the operator with performing various tasks. A subjective study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed interface compared to a commercially available system and to evaluate the effects of providing haptic feedback. The interfaces were used to perform two different teleoperation tasks, and the new haptic trackball interface resulted in higher accuracy and improved obstacle avoidance, illustrating its potential as a more effective teleoperation interface.