Tactile Interaction between Human and Robot

Abstract

In the field of service robotics, robots serve and assist human beings. Ways to interact with the robot are required. For human a natural way of interaction is by physical contact. This paper uses tactile sensors to enable this kind of interaction. Several kinds of tactile interactions between a user and the robot as well as interactions of the robot with the environment are introduced. All interactions are implemented in a single paradigm: Forces measured from tactile sensors result in motion vectors at the contact points. The motion vectors from different sensors are superimposed and then determine the robot’s joint velocities. Results from our experimental setup consisting of an 8 degrees of freedom manipulator arm mounted on a mobile platform are presented. In one illustrated example the robot is moved by a human using only the tactile interface. A second example shows a robot working as a barkeeper assistant. The human barkeeper works close with the robot safely.