Real-time control of a force feedback haptic interface via EtherCAT fieldbus

This paper is to present a technological solution for implementing a force feedback haptic interface in the context of virtual reality interaction applications. The real-time haptic algorithms are implemented in TwinCAT runtime environment to control drivers via EtherCAT fieldbus. A 3-dimensional visualization model for the virtual reality interaction is developed through Virtual Reality Toolbox in Matlab/Simulink and interconnected with TwinCAT software through the Automation Device Specification communication protocol. The using of Matlab/Simulink with model-based programming method instead of the C++ programming language allows researchers in haptic domain to focus more on the control engineering issues than programming skills. Some experimental tests and verification of the haptic algorithms with visualization model are presented.