HaptiCube: a Compact 5DoF Fingerwearable Tactile Interface * We develop a novel cubeshaped fingerwearable haptic interface named as HaptiCube. With the aim of implementing the tactile device with improved functionality and wearability, we focus on designing the device to have two characteristics: multiDOF force feedback displayability and large force capability with compact and lightweight structure. In designing the device, we mainly consider the type and configuration of actuator and driving mechanism, since both have a great effect on the size, weight, and output force of the device. As the actuator, we select the shape memory alloy exhibiting high energy density. And, as the driving mechanism, two different types of compliant mechanism are designed for two important functions: to convert contraction of the SMA to the desired motion as a motion guide and to apply biasforce to the SMA as a biasspring. The device is designed as the miniature interface that can display 3DOF pressure and 2DOF shearing force to userxe2x80x99s fingerpad. And, it is implemented as the functional prototype with the total weight of 26 g including actuators and all mechanical components. The experimental results on working performances (e.g. stroke, output force, and bandwidth) demonstrate that the device has superiority in terms of multiDOF displayability, compactsizability and wearability.

HumanRobot Interaction Through Fingertip Haptic Devices for Cooperative Manipulation Tasks Teleoperation of multirobot systems, e.g. dual manipulators, in cooperative manipulation tasks requires haptic feedback of multicontact interaction forces. Classical haptic devices restrict the workspace of the human operator and provide only one contact point. An alternative solution is to enable the operator to command the robot system via freehand motions which extends the workspace of the human. In such a setting, a multicontact haptic feedback may be provided to the human through multiple wearable haptic devices, e.g. fingertip devices that display forces on the human fingertips. In this paper we evaluate the benefit of using wearable haptic fingertip devices to interact with a bimanual robot setup in a pickandplace manipulation task. We show that haptic feedback through wearable devices improves task performance compared to the base condition of no haptic feedback. Therefore, wearable haptic devices are a promising interface for guidance of multirobot manipulation systems.