Optimized Haptic Feedback and Natural Prehension System for Robotics and Virtual Reality Applications

As robotics prehension systems and virtual reality applications are in constant evolution, the need for high-fidelity haptic interaction increases. This helps ensure and enhance user immersion and handling precision. While commercial haptic interfaces offer high performance, their prohibitive cost limits their widespread adoption in general-purpose robotics. Furthermore, many low-cost solutions suffer from limited transparency, where the operator constantly fights the friction of the actuator even during free motion. This article presents the design and development of an innovative, cost-effective master–slave robotic system aimed at democratizing efficient haptic feedback devices. The solution is intended for remote manipulation of objects with a maximum mass of 1 kg, while limiting the gripping force to 50 N, thus ensuring the integrity of objects being manipulated. The device includes a master haptic module in the form of a clamp that reproduces the thumb–index–middle finger gripping motion performed by the user. The system relies on a custom haptic interface measuring the angular position of the master gripper, which is transmitted in real time to the slave gripper, so as to adjust the position of the clamp accordingly, thus optimizing the grasping control loop. As soon as an object is detected, using a force sensor integrated into the slave gripper, the master motor renders a resistive force, preventing the user from closing the haptic module. The other part of the system is the slave mechanical gripper with three fingers, each with three phalanges based on human anatomy, allowing the clamp to mechanically conform to irregular object geometries with a single actuator. The last but not least innovative aspect lies in the implementation of a current sensor, which provides the haptic feedback. The force applied by the user is reproduced by the slave gripper using current sensors, eliminating the need for expensive force-torque sensors while maintaining a responsive feedback loop.