Macro-micro Tele-operation System based on Body Image Embedding for Bio-manipulation under Microscope

In this paper, in order to provide with an inexpensive solution to efficient bio-manipulation under microscope, we propose a macro-micro tele-operation system based on body image embedding. It is known in neuroscience that we could feel our body image for the object which is not our own body in certain conditions. Our idea is to utilize the body image illusion for generating high immersive feelings in bio-manipulation under microscope, instead of aiming at the perfect transparency, the conventional target of tele-manipulation system, which is difficult to attain. Our proposed system has two additional components as well as the conventional system where micro manipulators hydraulically connected to joysticks or dials handled by an operator are used for fine bio-manipulation under a microscope. The one component is for the body position/orientation consistency between proprioception and vision. In this component, due to appropriate use of a camera for a microscope, a visual display, mirrors and tiny dummy hands, an operator can see the magnified visual image of the tiny dummy hands similar to his/her own hands in shape at the position and orientation where he/she feel them proprioceptively. The other component is for the contact consistency between touch and vision. In this component, the contact between a tool grasped by an operator´s hands and a manipulated object observed by eyes should coincide to the contact felt by his/her hand skin. To do this, haptic stimulators such as piezo actuators are activated at the timing of contact which is detected, for example, by the vision processing from the microscopic images.