EAGER: Haptics for Large Scale Virtual Environments to Assess Assembly Tasks

Iowa State University, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this EAGER award is to assess the performance of users in a large space virtual environment equipped with haptic interaction in order to achieve a more realistic assembly workspace simulation. To achieve this objective, a new method of using a haptic device in a large space virtual environment will be developed and tested. The approach to providing haptic interaction in a large space virtual environment is to combine a six-degree-of-freedom haptic device with a mobile powered platform. Large space virtual environments can consist of arrangements of large screen projection systems that support position tracking and stereo viewing or rooms that have large area tracking combined with head mounted displays. Placing the haptic device on a mobile platform will allow the investigators to use this haptic device in the projection screen environment as well as the large area tracked room. The mobile platform will be position tracked so that the investigators can control the relative movement of the haptic device with respect to the user. The intent is that the user would not actively move the platform around the space, but that the mobile platform would be intelligent enough to follow the user as he/she moves around in the space. The successful completion of this research has great potential to improve product design. With the expansion of force feedback to encompass the full area of an assembly workstation, virtual reality technology can be used by manufacturing engineers to prototype how humans interact with products during part assembly, long before the first part reaches the assembly station. Using CAD models and haptic devices in a large scale virtual environment, product design teams can explore the human/product/workstation interaction that affects worker ergonomics, fixture and tooling design. Other product designers can explore human/product interaction as they design safety measures and develop maintenance methods. In-depth evaluations using CAD models early in the design process can save re-work and re-design which add unnecessary costs to the final product. As a part of this award, the PIs will engage students from multiple disciplines in the research. As a result, these students will experience a meaningful multidisciplinary design project and leave with an understanding and appreciation for the knowledge that can be contributed from people who come from different disciplines.