This research is part of a project involving the design of human-computer interfaces for collaborative spatial reasoning in 3D virtual workspaces. Previous research has shown that the relative orientation of familiar objects influences which reference frame is used when people produce a spatial description. Further, for familiar objects, it has been shown that relative stability affects reference object choice. We extend previous research by examining whether the same principles also influence the production of spatial descriptions of novel objects.

 

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Research works

I have been working on Robotics, haptic Control, 3-D Vision, Internet-based Telerobotics, VR and Image-guided Robotic Cardiac Surgery for more than 8 years.

Here are my most interesting fields:
 
TeleRobotics:
  • My dissertation presents a deep and detailed study on Robotics and network-based telerobotics system. The researches on teleoperated architecture, multi-sensor integration/data fusion, communication propagation time-delay, predictive display and graphics overlay based on virtual reality, man-machine interaction control, and telerobotic experiments are deeply and systematically investigated.
  • The worldwide research status of robotic teleoperation is discussed here. In terms of our research background and objectives, we studied the teleoperated architecture and related technologies, and proposed a task-oriented share control structure using hierarchical methods. It adopted module-based seven-layer structure, and perfectly combined high-level remote monitor/manipulation and low-level local autonomous control.

  • Multi-sensor integration and data fusion are very important difficulties in tele-autonomous robotic system with 15 Degree of Freedom. A task-based neural network fusion algorithm for multi-sensor integration and data fusion is introduced to real-timely get the perception result from multiple different sensors.

  • Time delay is inevitable in teleoperated system via network, and it destroys system's stability and reliability. On the basis of great deal of INTERNET measures, we build a universal INTERNET time delay model, and introduce a predictive display and graphics overlay technology for virtual reality to remotely control robotic arm/hand system. As a result, the influence of time delay and packet loss is eliminated in our telerobotics system.
  • Moreover, real-time interaction of a large amount of multimedia  information is accomplished under China limited PSTN bandwidth. We also develop two-generation cheap teleoperated arm and data glove in the process of  virtual reality interaction. They are used in our practical systems and show bright foreground in teleoperation, virtual assembly, telepresence and man-machine interactive control etc.
  • Finally, on the basis of plentiful experimental researches, we set up an INTERNET-based teleoperated education system. The high-efficiency and reliability of telerobotics system are testified well in actual application. The principle and implementation of three typical telerobotic experiments are demonstrated and explained.

Haptic Control and Virtual Reality
    To a large extent the robotics and the newer virtual reality (VR) research communities have been working in isolation. I think there are three areas where integration of the two technologies can be beneficial. First I think it could be VR-enhanced CAD design, robot programming, and VR simulation. Subsequently VR can be used in supervisory teleoperation, for single operator-single robot systems, single operator multiplexed to several slave robots, and collaborative control of a single robot by multiple operators. Finally VR can help overcome problems related to poor visual feedback and instabilities due to time delays exited in robotic control loop. The synergy between the fields of Robotics and Virtual Reality is expected to grow in years to come.

    Today, haptic feedback is essential in many important virtual reality and telepresence applications. Such a system can accommodate a wide variety of virtual reality applications including training and telerobotics by using a vision-based, object-tracking technique and a video-keying technique. In other words, it is desirable that what you see is what you feel in haptic control system. To avoid position dependencies, force-based discrete states (contact formations) can be used to describe qualitatively how contact is being made with the environment. In the meanwhile, it can also provide realistic haptic sensations, such as free-to-touch and move-and-collide. So the user encounters the haptic device exactly when his or her hand reaches a virtual object in the display.

    A haptic interface is a computer-controlled mechanism designed to detect motion of a human operator without impeding that motion, and to feed back forces from a teleoperated robot or virtual environment. Design of such a device is not trivial, because of the many conflicting constraints the designer must face. Haptic Interface Devices are machines that are controlled by the human arm contact forces. These devices are necessary elements of virtual reality machines, and may be programmed to give the human arm the sensation of forces associated with various arbitrary maneuvers. As examples, these devices can give the human the sensation that he/she is maneuvering a mass, or pushing onto a spring or a damper. In general, these devices may be programmed for any trajectory-dependent force.
    As part of our research into haptics, we will develop or buy a prototype mechanism. It has low apparent mass and damping, high structural stiffness, high force bandwidth, high force dynamic range, and an absence of mechanical singularities within its workspace. We can make an analysis of the human-operator and mechanical constraints that apply to any such device, and propose methods for the evaluation of haptic interfaces. Of course, Robotic haptic control is a challenging project, and it needs hardware and software environment, large workload, and funds to support.
 
 
Robotic Cardiac Surgery
   Conventional open-heart coronary bypass surgery requires a 30-cm long incision through the breast-bone and stopping of the heart which inflict great pain, trauma and lengthy recovery time to patients. Recently, a robot-assisted minimally invasive surgical technique has been introduced to coronary bypass to minimize incisions and avoid cardiac arrest in order to eliminate the medical complications associated with open-heart surgery. This technique has become known as minimally invasive robotic coronary artery bypass (MIRCAB). Moreover, Surgical robots assisting surgeons during operations are being used in selected medical fields like neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, endoscopy and so on, and it is popular today.
    Surgical robots(Computer and robot assisted systems) imply ergonomic requirements stronger than usual, due to the fact that the typical environment of an operating room is not presently suitable for the use of a computer system. So the specific design of user interfaces and control in this particular field is becoming more and more important. We can use robots to serve as force feedback interfaces to the simulation, which can be useful to software designers to reduce the time necessary to develop a reliable and safe haptic interface for new computer assisted robotic systems, and to improve the usability of the existing ones. Here is a workflow for robot assisted surgery, which includes the steps: image data acquisition -- image processing-- surgical planning -- and the actual robot assisted intraoperative transposition. Each step of the workflow comprises different computer aided methods and apparatuses.
 
 
It seems like I need more explanation and introduction, oh?


Last Updated:  03/27/2001 03:38:53 PM