Development of Tele-Existence Haptics Robot Arm System for Force and Thermal (hot/cold) Environments

-Prototype Design of a Novel Shoulder Configuration Haptic Exoskelton Wearable Arm Device Originated from Collar bone Joint-

Abstract

Robot systems capable of experiencing remote environments are urgently required for future lack of manpower and aging society. In this study, the development of the tele-existence robot arm system in which human beings can experience not only the haptic environment but also the thermal (hot/cold) environment was focused on. In this system, operator's shoulder and arm should be restricted by an exoskelton wearable device to get motion and posture information of a remote robot arm. For development of a proper wearable device, it is important to design the configuration of joints of the wearable device so as to allow every motions and postures of an operator without any interruption. Especially, a shoulder joint of human is so functional that the reproduction by a simple mechanical structure has been almost difficult. In this report, prototype design of a wearable arm device, originated from collar bone joint, with a novel (111) isometric shoulder configuration, was introduced.