In the not-too-distant future, robotic avatars will play a role in many people's everyday lives. By definition, an avatar is a physical embodiment of a god descending (avatāra in Sanskrit) to earth. Hence, a robotic avatar is the physical embodiment of a human in the form of a robot. Currently, many tasks are too complex or precarious for a robot to perform independently and sometimes human interaction is simply preferred. However, some tasks are too dangerous or distant for a human to perform, illustrating the need for robotic avatars controlled by humans via telemanipulation: remote manipulation with feedback.
This 'feedback' is very important for a successful completion of the task and can be (a combination of) visual, tactile or kinesthetic. Since many people are unfamiliar with telemanipulation, especially with kinesthetic feedback that provides sensation of forces in muscles and bones, Avatars.report aims to educate people about this new technology with a DIY kit, video lectures and assignments.
However, the DIY kit still needs some work. This assignment will focus on the integration of the 4-channel and position-measured force control architectures with adjustable parameters in a user-friendly interface. Furthermore, the current implementation of a cost-effective force sensor (load-cell) is to be improved with optimal filtering as accurate force measurements are essential for optimal teleoperation transparency: the fidelity with which the operator can perceive and control the remote task.