02143nas a2200229 4500008004100000245007100041210006700112260001200179300001600191490000700207520149200214653001201706653001301718100001901731700001601750700001401766700001701780700001601797700001401813700001501827856007101842 2016 eng d00aThe Change in Fingertip Contact Area as a Novel Proprioceptive Cue0 aChange in Fingertip Contact Area as a Novel Proprioceptive Cue c05/2016 a1159–11630 v263 a

Humans, many animals, and certain robotic hands have deformable fingertip pads. Deformable pads have the advantage of conforming to the objects that are being touched, ensuring a stable grasp for a large range of forces and shapes. Pad deformations change with finger displacements during touch. Pushing a finger against an external surface typically provokes an increase of the gross contact area, potentially providing a relative motion cue, a situation comparable to looming in vision. The rate of increase of the area of contact also depends on the compliance of the object. Because objects normally do not suddenly change compliance, participants may interpret an artificially induced variation in compliance, which coincides with a change in the gross contact area, as a change in finger displacement, and consequently they may misestimate their finger’s position relative to the touched object. To test this, we asked participants to compare the perceived displacements of their finger while contacting an object varying pseudo-randomly in compliance from trial to trial. Results indicate a bias in the perception of finger displacement induced by the change in compliance, hence in contact area, indicating that participants interpreted the altered cutaneous input as a cue to proprioception. This situation highlights the capacity of the brain to take advantage of knowledge of the mechanical properties of the body and of the external environment.

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aMoscatelli, A.1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aTerekhov, A.1 aHayward, V.1 aErnst, M.1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096098221630134802077nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245007300055210006900128260001200197300001200209490000600221520137200227653001201599653001301611100001801624700001601642700001701658700001501675700002001690700001401710700001601724700001501740856006801755 2016 eng d a1939-141200aThimbleSense: a fingertip-wearable tactile sensor for grasp analysis0 aThimbleSense a fingertipwearable tactile sensor for grasp analys c03/2016 a121-1330 v93 a

Accurate measurement of contact forces between hand and grasped objects is crucial to study sensorimotor control during grasp and manipulation. In this work we introduce ThimbleSense, a prototype of individual-digit wearable force/torque sensor based on the principle of intrinsic tactile sensing. By exploiting the integration of this approach with an active marker-based motion capture system, the proposed device simultaneously measures absolute position and orientation of the fingertip, which in turn yields measurements of contacts and force components expressed in a global reference frame. The main advantage of this approach with respect to more conventional solutions is its versatility. Specifically, ThimbleSense can be used to study grasping and manipulation of a wide variety of objects, while still retaining complete force/torque measurements. Nevertheless, validation of the proposed device is a necessary step before it can be used for experimental purposes. In this work we present the results of a series of experiments designed to validate the accuracy of ThimbleSense measurements and evaluate the effects of distortion of tactile afferent inputs caused by the device’s rigid shells on grasp forces.

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBattaglia, E.1 aBianchi, M.1 aAltobelli, A1 aGrioli, G.1 aCatalano, M. G.1 aSerio, A.1 aSantello, M1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=729470202104nas a2200157 4500008004100000245006700041210006600108300001200174490000600186520159500192653001201787653001301799100001601812700001401828856010401842 2015 eng d00aDesign and Characterization of a Fabric-based Softness Display0 aDesign and Characterization of a Fabricbased Softness Display a152-1630 v83 a

To enable a realistic tactile interaction with remote or virtual objects, softness information represents a fundamental property to be rendered via haptic devices. What is challenging is to reduce the complexity of such an information as it arises from contact mechanics and to find suitable simplifications that can lead an effective development of softness displays. A possible approach is to surrogate detailed tactile cues with information on the rate of spread of the contact area between the object and the finger as the contact force increases, i.e. force/area relation. This paradigm is called contact area spread rate. In this paper we discuss how such a paradigm has inspired the design of a tactile device (hereinafter referred to as Fabric Yielding Display, FYD-2), which exploits the elasticity of a fabric to mimic different levels of stiffness, while the contact area on the finger indenting the fabric is measured. In this manner, the FYD-2 can be controlled to reproduce force-area characteristics. In this work, we describe the FYD-2 architecture and report a psychophysical characterization. FYD-2 is shown to be able to accurately reproduce force-area curves of typical objects and to enable a reliable softness discrimination in human users.

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/design-and-characterization-fabric-based-softness-display.html06962nas a2200181 4500008004500000245008700045210006900132260004000201300001000241520637400251653001206625653001306637100001606650700001706666700001406683700001506697856006806712 2015 engldsh 00aA Novel Tactile Display for Softness and Texture Rendering in Tele-Operation Tasks0 aNovel Tactile Display for Softness and Texture Rendering in Tele aChicago, USA, 22-25 June 2015bIEEE a49-563 a

Softness and texture high-frequency information represent fundamental haptic properties for every day life activities and environment tactual exploration. While several displays have been produced to convey either softness or high-frequency information, there is no or little evidence of systems that are able to reproduce both these properties in an integrated fashion. This aspect is especially crucial in medical tele-operated procedures, where roughness and stiffness of human tissues are both important to correctly identify given pathologies through palpation (e.g. in tele-dermatology). This work presents a fabric yielding display (FYD-pad), a fabric-based tactile display for softness and texture rendering. The system exploits the control of two motors to modify both the stretching state of the elastic fabric forsoftness rendering and to convey texture information on the basis of accelerometer-based data. At the same time, the measurement of the contact area can be used to control remote or virtual robots. In this paper, we discuss the architecture of FYD-pad and the techniques used for softness and texturereproduction as well as for synthesizing probe-surface interactions from real data. Tele-operationexamples and preliminary experiments with humans are reported, which show the effectiveness of the device in delivering both softness and texture information.

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBianchi, M.1 aPoggiani, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=717769000620nas a2200193 4500008004100000245007500041210006900116300001400185490000700199653001200206653001300218100002000231700001500251700001600266700001400282700001400296700001500310856010100325 2014 eng d00aAdaptive Synergies for the Design and Control of the Pisa/IIT SoftHand0 aAdaptive Synergies for the Design and Control of the PisaIIT Sof a768–7820 v3310aHaptics10aRobotics1 aCatalano, M. G.1 aGrioli, G.1 aFarnioli, E1 aSerio, A.1 aPiazza, C1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/adaptive-synergies-design-and-control-pisaiit-softhand.html00866nas a2200241 4500008003900000245009000039210006900129260005200198300001200250490008500262653001200347653001300359100001900372700001600391700001400407700001500421700001300436700001700449700001600466700001400482700001500496856011300511 2014 d00aA change in the fingertip contact area induces an illusory displacement of the finger0 achange in the fingertip contact area induces an illusory displac aVersailles, France), June 2014bSpringer-Verlag a72 - 790 vLNCS - Free Preview Haptics: Neuroscience, Devices, Modeling, and Applications10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aMoscatelli, A.1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aAtassi, Al1 aFani, S.1 aTerekhov, A.1 aHayward, V.1 aErnst, M.1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/change-fingertip-contact-area-induces-illusory-displacement-finger.html00727nas a2200217 4500008003900000245009400039210006900133260001600202300001500218653001200233653001300245100001600258700001600274700001400290700001400304700001300318700001700331700002000348700001500368856012600383 2014 d00aDesign and preliminary affective characterization of a novel fabric-based tactile display0 aDesign and preliminary affective characterization of a novel fab aHouston, TX a 591 - 59610aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBianchi, M.1 aValenza, G.1 aSerio, A.1 aLanata, A1 aGreco, L1 aNardelli, M.1 aScilingo, E. P.1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/design-and-preliminary-affective-characterization-novel-fabric-based-tactile-display01675nas a2200205 4500008004100000022002200041245005100063210004800114260002000162300001400182490004800196520106700244653001201311653001301323100001601336700001401352700002001366700001501386856006801401 2014 eng d a978-1-4471-6532-300aA Fabric-based Approach for Softness Rendering0 aFabricbased Approach for Softness Rendering bSpringer-Verlag a219 - 2400 vSpringer Series on Touch and Haptic Systems3 a

In this chapter we describe a softness display based on the contact area spread rate (CASR) paradigm. This device uses a stretchable fabric as a substrate that can be touched by users, while contact area is directly measured via an optical system. By varying the stretching state of the fabric, different stiffness values can be conveyed to users. We describe a first technological implementation of the display and compare its performance in rendering various levels of stiffness with the one exhibited by a pneumatic CASR-based device. Psychophysical experiments are reported and discussed. Afterwards, we present a new technological implementation for the fabric-based display, with reduced dimensions and faster actuation, which enables rapid changes in the fabric stretching state. These changes are mandatory to properly track typical force/area curves of real materials. System performance in mimicking force-area curves obtained from real objects exhibits a high degree of reliability, also in eliciting overall discriminable levels of softness.

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aScilingo, E. P.1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-1-4471-6533-0_1101908nas a2200265 4500008004100000245008800041210006900129300001200198490000700210520109000217653001201307653001301319100001701332700001501349700001601364700002001380700001401400700001601414700001701430700001501447700001801462700002001480700002001500856012201520 2014 eng d00aHANDS.DVI: A DeVice-Independent programming and control framework for robotic HANDS0 aHANDSDVI A DeViceIndependent programming and control framework f a197-2150 v943 a

The scientific goal of HANDS.DVI consists of developing a common
framework to programming robotic hands independently from their kinematics,
mechanical construction, and sensor equipment complexity. Recent results on the
organization of the human hand in grasping and manipulation are the inspiration
for this experiment. The reduced set of parameters that we effectively use to control
our hands is known in the literature as the set of synergies. The synergistic
organization of the human hand is the theoretical foundation of the innovative approach
to design a unified framework for robotic hands control. Theoretical tools
have been studied to design a suitable mapping function of the control action (decomposed
in its elemental action) from a human hand model domain onto the
articulated robotic hand co-domain. The developed control framework has been
applied on an experimental set up consisting of two robotic hands with dissimilar
kinematics grasping an object instrumented with force sensors.

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aSalvietti, G1 aGioioso, G1 aMalvezzi, M1 aPrattichizzo, D1 aSerio, A.1 aFarnioli, E1 aGabiccini, M1 aBicchi, A.1 aSarakoglou, I1 aTsagarakis, N G1 aCaldwell, D. G. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/handsdvi-device-independent-programming-and-control-framework-robotic-hands.html02213nas a2200217 4500008003900000245007700039210006900116260001700185300001600202520152500218653001201743653001301755100001401768700001701782700001701799700001801816700001701834700002001851700001501871856010901886 2014 d00aThe Patched Intrinsic Tactile Object: a Tool to Investigate Human Grasps0 aPatched Intrinsic Tactile Object a Tool to Investigate Human Gra aChicago, USA a1261 - 12683 a

In this paper we report on the development of a modular multi-DoF F/T sensor and its use in the implementation of a sensorized object capable of multi-touch detection. The sensor is composed of six 6-axis F/T sensors spatially organized on the faces of a cube. Different calibration methods are presented to directly tackle the coupling phenomena inherent to the spatial organization of the faces and the lightweight construction of the sensor which would have, otherwise, degraded its accuracy. To assess the performances of the calibration methods, a comparison is reported with respect to the measurements obtained with a commercial force/torque sensor considered as ground truth (ATI Delta). Thanks to the modular design and the possibility to cover the sensitive faces with surface patches of different geometry, a variety of sensorized objects with different shapes can be realized. The peculiar feature that all the components of the contact wrench can be measured on each face with high accuracy, renders it a unique tool in the study of grasp force distribution in humans, with envisioned use both in neuroscience investigations and robotic applications.

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aSerio, A.1 aRiccomini, E1 aTartaglia, V1 aSarakoglou, I1 aGabiccini, M1 aTsagarakis, N G1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/patched-intrinsic-tactile-object-tool-investigate-human-grasps.html00406nas a2200157 4500008003900000245002400039210002000063260001600083653001200099653001300111100001400124700001600138700001700154700001500171856006200186 2014 d00aThe tactile toolbox0 atactile toolbox aHouston, TX10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aSerio, A.1 aBianchi, M.1 aGabiccini, M1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/tactile-toolbox.html00649nas a2200193 4500008003900000245007900039210006900118260001600187653001200203653001300215100001800228700001500246700002000261700001600281700001400297700001600311700001500327856011300342 2014 d00aThimbleSense: A new wearable tactile device for human and robotic fingers 0 aThimbleSense A new wearable tactile device for human and robotic aHouston, TX10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBattaglia, E.1 aGrioli, G.1 aCatalano, M. G.1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aSantello, M1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/thimblesense-new-wearable-tactile-device-human-and-robotic-fingers.html01589nas a2200205 4500008003900000245011500039210006900154260004300223300001400266520091400280653001201194653001301206100001701219700001601236700001401252700001701266700001701283700001501300856006801315 2014 d00a Three-digit grasp haptic device with variable contact stiffness for rehabilitation and human grasping studies0 aThreedigit grasp haptic device with variable contact stiffness f aPalermo, Italy, 16-19 June 2014 bIEEE a346 - 3503 a

This paper describes an haptic system designed to vary the stiffness of three contact points in an independent and controllable fashion, by suitably regulating the inner pressure of three pneumatic tactile displays. At the same time, the contact forces exerted by the user are measured by six degree-of-freedom force sensors placed under each finger. This device might be profitably used in hand rehabilitation and human grasping studies. We report and discuss preliminary results on device validation as well as some illustrative measurement examples.

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aAltobelli, A1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aBaud-Bovy, G1 aGabiccini, M1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=696139500451nas a2200169 4500008004100000245002200041210001800063260003400081653001200115653001300127100001400140700002000154700001500174700001700189700001500206856006000221 2011 eng d00aThe Hand Embodied0 aHand Embodied aPisa, ItalycSeptember, 7 - 910aHaptics10aRobotics1 aSerio, A.1 aCatalano, M. G.1 aGrioli, G.1 aGabiccini, M1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/hand-embodied.html00547nas a2200181 4500008004100000024001800041245004000059210003800099260004400137300001400181653001200195653001300207100001600220700001400236700002000250700001500270856008000285 2010 eng d app. 108 - 11200aA new fabric based softness display0 anew fabric based softness display aWaltham,Massachusetts, USAcMarch 25-16 a108 - 11210aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aScilingo, E. P.1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/new-fabric-based-softness-display.html00770nas a2200181 4500008004100000245005400041210005100095260004000146300001400186520020700200653001200407653001300419100001600432700001400448700002000462700001500482856009100497 2009 eng d00aA new softness display based on bi-elastic fabric0 anew softness display based on bielastic fabric aSalt Lake City, USAcMarch, 18 - 20 a382 - 3833 a

Haptic perception allows to explore and recognize an object by conveying several physical information to mechano-receptors and thermo-receptors lying into our skin throughout the body. The term

10aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aScilingo, E. P.1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/new-softness-display-based-bi-elastic-fabric.html00532nas a2200157 4500008004100000245005400041210005300095260004300148653001200191653001300203100001600216700001400232700002000246700001500266856009300281 2009 eng d00aRendering softness: a new fabric yielding display0 aRendering softness a new fabric yielding display aSestri levante (Ge), ItalycDecember 310aHaptics10aRobotics1 aBianchi, M.1 aSerio, A.1 aScilingo, E. P.1 aBicchi, A. uhttp://615830.rige.asia/publications/rendering-softness-new-fabric-yielding-display.html