Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Quanser's New High Definition Haptic Device

HD2 is one of the latest highly engineered robotic manipulators designed and manufactured in Quanser. As a haptic device it enables the human user to interact with virtual environments using programmable force feedback. The motion of the user can be instrumented in 6 degrees of freedom, i.e., three translational motions in Cartesian space and three rotational motions (i.e. roll, pitch and yaw). The device can apply force feedback to the user in 5 degrees of freedom.

The name HD2 stands for “High Definition Haptic Device” which indeed reflects the capabilities of this manipulator. Compared to other commercially available haptic devices on the market, HD2 has a relatively large workspace and very low intervening dynamics. It is also highly backdrivable with negligible inertia and friction. This state-of-the-art device is equipped with high current linear amplifiers which with the use of parallel mechanisms make it possible for the device to provide the user with stiffness coefficients as high as 20,000 N/m. HD2 is finding a wide and still emerging range of industrial, medical, educational, and scientific applications. These include but are not limited to teleoperation tasks where dexterity and precision is required in the control of slave robots such as robotic-assisted surgeries and space and undersea expeditions. Virtual reality training simulators, human rehabilitation systems, and gaming are some other promising applications of HD2.

(Note: HD2 is scheduled for release in March 2009)

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