Cutaneous Force Feedback as a Sensory Subtraction Technique in Haptics (1108.1464v3)

Abstract: A novel sensory substitution technique is presented. Kinesthetic and cutaneous force feedback are substituted by cutaneous feedback (CF) only, provided by two wearable devices able to apply forces to the index finger and the thumb, while holding a handle during a teleoperation task. The force pattern, fed back to the user while using the cutaneous devices, is similar, in terms of intensity and area of application, to the cutaneous force pattern applied to the finger pad while interacting with a haptic device providing both cutaneous and kinesthetic force feedback. The pattern generated using the cutaneous devices can be thought as a subtraction between the complete haptic feedback (HF) and the kinesthetic part of it. For this reason, we refer to this approach as sensory subtraction instead of sensory substitution. A needle insertion scenario is considered to validate the approach. The haptic device is connected to a virtual environment simulating a needle insertion task. Experiments show that the perception of inserting a needle using the cutaneous-only force feedback is nearly indistinguishable from the one felt by the user while using both cutaneous and kinesthetic feedback. As most of the sensory substitution approaches, the proposed sensory subtraction technique also has the advantage of not suffering from stability issues of teleoperation systems due, for instance, to communication delays. Moreover, experiments show that the sensory subtraction technique outperforms sensory substitution with more conventional visual feedback (VF).

• The paper introduces cutaneous-only feedback via wearable devices as a sensory subtraction technique for stable haptic teleoperation, replacing full kinesthetic and cutaneous feedback.
• Experiments demonstrated that participants using cutaneous-only feedback performed effectively in a simulated needle insertion task and achieved stability advantages over traditional full haptic feedback.
• This research suggests cutaneous force feedback can effectively replace traditional haptics in critical teleoperation applications like robot-assisted surgery, potentially enhancing safety and stability.

Cutaneous Force Feedback as a Sensory Subtraction Technique in Haptics

The research paper investigates a novel method in haptics, focusing on cutaneous force feedback as a sensory subtraction technique, with implications for teleoperation tasks like surgical needle insertion. The proposed method substitutes traditional full kinesthetic and cutaneous feedback with cutaneous-only feedback delivered through wearable devices, highlighting stability advantages in teleoperation systems plagued by latency issues.

Summary of Methods and Experiments

The paper introduces two wearable devices providing cutaneous feedback to the index finger and thumb, aiming to replicate the force patterns encountered during interaction with haptic devices under teleoperation tasks, specifically a virtual needle insertion scenario. The sensory subtraction technique removes kinesthetic feedback, leaving only cutaneous stimuli. The haptic handle's motion and needle insertion performance in the simulation were analyzed under four conditions: traditional haptic feedback, visual feedback as a substitute for haptic forces, and cutaneous feedback applied either to the fingers grasping the handle or the contralateral hand.

Results and Findings

The experiments revealed that participants effectively executed the task using cutaneous-only feedback, showing minimal perceptual differences compared to traditional full feedback. The cutaneous-only feedback demonstrated competitive performance with visual substitution methods but provided a more reliable form of feedback when localized to the hand directly involved in the task. The stability inherent in cutaneous feedback mitigated issues common in teleoperation systems, such as unintended motion due to communication delays.

Implications

The research suggests that cutaneous force feedback devices can effectively replace traditional haptic feedback without compromising task performance, reducing risks associated with mechanical failures and unintended movements. This is particularly beneficial in delicate applications such as robot-assisted surgery and other critical teleoperation tasks, where stability and precision are paramount.

Future Work

Future research will focus on optimizing cutaneous devices for better wearability and dynamic performance. Additionally, there will be exploration into enhancing user feedback with combined sensory modalities, including auditory signals. This future work aims to further solidify cutaneous force feedback’s role in advanced haptic interactions, potentially broadening its application spectrum in remote robot-assisted scenarios.