Effects of Friction Parameters on Completion Times for Sustained Planar Positioning Tasks with a Haptic Interface

Haptic interface devices and teleoperation masters are multiple degree of freedom devices manipulated by an operator to generate real-time motion commands to simulated environments or robot manipulators. In this work we examine the relationship between the simulated friction parameters of a particular spatial positioning master device and the completion times of planar positioning tasks by human operators. It is expected that increasing the Coulomb or viscous friction of the device would tend to increase the completion times of less difficult, quicker positioning tasks and decrease completion times for more difficult fine positioning tasks requiring higher precision from the operator. A common haptic interface device was used to perform continuous sequences of planar positioning tasks. Each trial required 10-12 minutes to complete and consisted of 15 positioning sequences which varied in the size of the target regions and the magnitude and type of simulated friction in the device. With a sample size of 10 test subjects, small effects were generally observed as expected, with the exception of the first 3 to 4 sequences of the trials which are concluded to be an adaptation or learning period for the users during each trial