Maloperation Prevention Filter for Touchscreen Used in Robot Arm

Abstract

In recent years, robot arms are being developed for self-reliance supporting for those who are unable to move without using an electric wheelchair or live a bedridden life. For example, mounting a robot arm on an electric wheelchair or bedside could help the limb disabled people to perform daily activities without nursing. However, the existing robot arms are mainly using traditional operation interfaces like keyboards or joysticks. Under different scenarios, some patients with upper limb disabilities such as contracture cannot operate such interfaces smoothly. In this study, in order to reduce the difficulty in operating robot arms, we developed a new kind of operation system using smartphone touchscreen as screen joystick operating interface. Meanwhile, the system includes a filter which detects and adjusts maloperation due to the capacitive touchscreen panel with high maloperation rate. Finally, an operating test was conducted by a patient with upper limb disabilities, and the effectiveness of this study was shown from the evaluation of the trajectory of robot hands from the initial position to the aim position. In the future, we are planning to develop an innovate operation system for a robot arm which is mounted on the wheelchair, with the effectiveness confirm by several operation tests.