Directional properties of human hand force perception in the maintenance of arm posture

Abstract

This paper discusses the directional properties of human hand force perception during maintained arm posture in operation of a robotic device by means of robotic and psychological techniques. A series of perception experiments is carried out using an impedance-controlled robot depending on force magnitudes and directions in the different arm postures. Experimental results demonstrate that human hand force perception is much affected by the stimulus direction and can be expressed with an ellipse. Finally, the relationship between hand force perception properties and hand force manipulability is analyzed by means of human force manipulability ellipse. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.