A force display system using serial-link structure driven by parallel-wire mechanism is proposed in this paper. The system has advantages of both serial-link structure and parallel-wire driven mechanism, such as large work space, not to interfere with its environment, good operativity, high-speed operation, safety and so on. The performance of the proposed system is demonstrated though some experimental results. Moreover, an application of virtual reality for rehabilitation training is introduced.

抄録全体を表示

Rescue operations are expected in the dangerous sites by disaster and so on. We have developed the teleoperated robot which is able to operates construction machines even in dangerous environments instead of a human operator. This robot can be divided into several pieces of units and can be carried by a van-type car. The robot is also able to be assembled in a short time (1 -2 hours) in places like disaster sites, and even under bad weather conditions. The robot easily enables to remote-control the any ordinal construction machines which exist throughout the country.

抄録全体を表示

We have developed a system called the Q stereoscopic video system which has high resolution in a wide angle image. This system enables us to achieve higher operational efficiency than a conventional stereoscopic video system. However, this system requires four video channels to transmit video signals. Because there is a limitation problem on the number of wireless transmission channels, four wireless channels are not always available for the video system. Therefore, we tried to reduce the number of channels used by this system by sending images from the right and left camera alternately by field. In experiment 1, we compared the Q stereoscopic video system with two channel transmission to the original Q stereoscopic video system. The result showed that the operators were able to work less efficiently under the Q stereoscopic video system with two channel transmission than under the original Q stereoscopic video system. In experiment 2, we developed the Q stereoscopic video system with three channel transmission. This system sent peripheral images from the right and left camera alternately by field via a single channel, as mentioned above. The result showed that the operational efficiency under the Q stereoscopic video system with three channel transmissions was equal to that under the original Q stereoscopic video system.

抄録全体を表示

It has been reported that operating efficiency during teleoperation using stereoscopic video images is inferior to that using the naked eye in real environments. One of the reasons might be the small amount of information which is provided for the human operator in the work by the stereoscopic images. A big improvement in working efficiency was confirmed when force feedback was given to a human operator in addition to the visual information. However a special device becomes necessary for the force feedback. More ease to use feedback system is needed to prevail. So, experiments with acoustic or vibratory feedback have been conducted to increase information to the operator. Working efficiency was improved by the combination of stereoscopic video images with acoustic or vibratory feedback, but was still inferior to stereoscopic images with force feedback.

抄録全体を表示

[Purpose] Manipulating a guidewire at remote site by a virtual haptics device, PHANToM, with force feedback and visual monitor. [Method] The system was fundamentally designed as a master/slave system. On operation of PHANToM at the master side, the other PHANToM at slave side handled real microgidewire. At the same time, the operator could feel the resistance from the slave side. On big resistance, the slave side machine immediately stopped operation and fixed the wire at the position. Each PHNAToM was controlled by each NT workstation. Both of NT WSs were connected through Ethernet. The motion of slave side could be monitored using remote conference system, i-Visit. [Result] Remote side guidewire could be successfully manipulated with visual monitor and magnified force feedback. However, the system was not completely robustic. On high magnification of force feedback the motion became shaky. Visual monitor was not fast enough to follow rapid movement of PHANToMs. [Discussion] Remote manipulation via computer system should be effective for remote operation, remote assistance by the experts and at least to decrease radiation dose the operator. Magnification of force feedback and/or manipulation has possibility to improve safety of intravascular procedure. More robustic system should be needed.

抄録全体を表示

This study is conducted under the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI) project, "Humanoid Robotics Project (HRP)". One of the objectives of this project is to develop a cockpit system which enables an operator to control a humanoid robot at a remote site with sense of presence (Tele-existence Cockpit). We develop a tele-existence visual display system, which is the component of the cockpit. In this paper, we describe the design and development of the system. We classified tasks of the tele-operation into two tasks, locomotion task and manipulation task, and developed the visual display system so that it can display the images around the robot with sense of presence for both tasks. We confirmed the validity of our design through the several experimental examples of the developed system.

抄録全体を表示

We have developed a rotational high-resolution video image display. This display is designed to be combined with omni-directional locomotion interface named Torus Treadmill.The display consists of 9 projection screens and 9 CCD cameras. The 9 CCD cameras are designed to have the same optical center, by using plane mirrors. The display provides 135 degree horizontal and 105 degree vertical video image. In order to trace rotational motion of the viewer, this display is installed on a turntable. In this way, surrounded high-resolution video image was virtually realized.

抄録全体を表示

Telexistence, tele-existence, or telepresence, is an advanced form of teleoperation, which enables a human operator to remotely perform tasks with dexterity, providing the user with the feeling that he or she is present in the remote location. Although tele-existence/telepresence as an engineering concept was proposed in 1979-1981, a comic titled " Jumborg A " proposed and illustrated a primitive tele-existence robot control system in 1970. As a matter of fact, some fictitious robot control systems in novels, comics, animations, and movies precede real robot control systems. In this paper, we will introduce the history of telexistence robots, both in terms of current technology and science fiction

抄録全体を表示

When using telexistence or virtual reality systems, the operator perceives the remote/virtual environment as a strange world, if the visual parameters of the remote camera or the projection used to generate the graphics images of virtual environments are inconsistent with those of the display device. For the systems using HMD, field of view of the HMD (camera) and the inter-pupillary (inter-camera) distance can be considered as elementary parameters to determine the appearance of the displayed world. In this paper, this strangeness, which has been reported as subjective impression, is analyzed geometrically as a dynamic distortion and deformation of the perceived world. Also, a method to reduce the strangeness is proposed, by controlling the scaling factor of the rotational motion of the robot head so that the optical flow nearby the gazed point could match with the mechanism of vestibulo-ocular reflex of human operators.

抄録全体を表示

In this study, the authors developed and evaluated the virtual classroom system on cyberspace for hospitalized children. In this system, children can study and communicate with children of the outside of the hospital. The authors evaluated this system from the following viewpoints; (1) Psycho-physiological effects on children. (2) Usability of interface. (3) Spatial design of cyberspace. This paper reports the results of the experiment and discusses the validity of cyberspace in terms of education for hospitalized children.

抄録全体を表示

We have developed two prototypes of the electronic tactile drawing system. The first one consists of a PC, a tablet device, a tactile display device and originally programmed software. The evaluation of the system showed its potentialities for a writing and explanation tool of graphics for blind persons. It posed a few technical problems as well. One of them was separation of the input and output devices. This problem was solved in the second prototype by developing a 2-axis arm positioning system. The new system allows users to directly draw on the tactile surface and evaluators favored this feature.

抄録全体を表示

This paper shows the support system for redesigning of the high-speed transport system in the hospital, which actually exists in the hospital. The design of the transport system depends on the building design of the hospital. The design of the transportation system is modified frequently when it is designing. The reasons are the oversight of the draft or the collision with the railway and the building, and so on. Furthermore, it is to secure the safety of the transport system. So, the design support system, which can be modified intuitively in real time, is expected. In this research, we propose a system using virtual reality, which could change the railway of the transport system easily and dynamically. This system contains the following works. The addition, change and elimination of the railway track are provided by the transport system in the virtual space, and the redesigning of the transport system can be modified in real time. This system also simulates a transport car in the virtual space and analyzes the condition of the transport car and the whole conditions of the system.

抄録全体を表示

This paper presents an overview of our efforts in modeling the Great Buddha of Kamakura through observation. The Kamakura Great Buddha, built in the 13th Century, is one of the national treasures of Japan; of its height is about 20m, including its pedestal. Currently, the Buddha is standing in the open air. We have started this modeling as the kick-off step of our project to model Japanese cultural heritages by using the modeling-from-reality techniques that make virtual models of real objects through observing the real objects. Due to the size and the circumstance concerning the great Buddha, we have encountered several research issues. For geometric modeling, we have developed a simultaneous registration and parallel volumetric merging algorithms. For photometric modeling, we have developed a new camera-sensor alignment algorithm. We have constructed a CG model of the Main Hall of the Great Buddha, widely briefed its existence from the literature survey, and created a video of the Buddha, measured and constructed with our techniques, in the virtual Main Hall created through the literature survey. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of the algorithms as well as the importance of restoring cultural heritage through these techniques.

抄録全体を表示