System for Cooperation Between a Human and a Robotic Device

Abstract

A robot control system has a monitoring mechanism wearable on a portion of human anatomy, proximal a specific human joint, the monitoring mechanism comprising sensors monitoring relative positions of portions of the human anatomy to either side of the specific joint, circuitry associated with the mechanism, transmitting data concerning the relative positions to a computerized robot control platform, and a robot mechanism having a robotic joint simulating the specific human joint, and further comprising remotely-controllable actuators manipulating robot elements to either side of the robotic joint. The computerized robot control platform controls the remotely-controllable actuators according to the data concerning the relative positions, causing the robot mechanism to emulate the movement of the specific human joint in near real time.

1 . A robot control system, comprising:
 a monitoring mechanism wearable on a portion of human anatomy, proximal a specific human joint, the monitoring mechanism comprising sensors monitoring relative positions of portions of the human anatomy to either side of the specific joint;   circuitry associated with the mechanism, transmitting data concerning the relative positions to a computerized robot control platform; and   a robot mechanism having a robotic joint simulating the specific human joint, and further comprising remotely-controllable actuators manipulating robot elements to either side of the robotic joint;   wherein the computerized robot control platform controls the remotely-controllable actuators according to the data concerning the relative positions, causing the robot mechanism to emulate the movement of the specific human joint in near real time.   
     
     
         2 . The robot control system of  claim 1  further comprising sensors monitoring force between the joint and the elements to either side of the joint. 
     
     
         3 . The robot control system of  claim 1  further comprising an image capturing device proximate the robot mechanism, and a viewing apparatus positioned near the monitoring mechanism, whereby visual information in the environment of the robot mechanism is projected on a display of the viewing system. 
     
     
         4 . The robotic control station of  claim 3  wherein the display is a wearable display. 
     
     
         5 . The robotic control system of  claim 1  wherein the circuitry transmitting data comprises wireless transmission circuitry. 
     
     
         6 . The robotic control station of  claim 1  further comprising sensors monitoring relative positions of portions of the human arm, hand, and fingers, to either side of the elbow joint, the wrist and the joints of the thumb and of each of the four fingers, further comprising robot elements emulating the human joints and the portions of the human arm, hand, and fingers, and further comprising remotely-controllable actuators manipulating the robot elements according to the data concerning the relative positions, causing the robot mechanism to emulate the movement of the human arm and hand in near real time. 
     
     
         7 . The robot control system of  claim 6  further comprising sensors monitoring force between the joints and the portions to either side of the joints. 
     
     
         8 . The robot control system of  claim 6  further comprising an image capturing device proximate the robot mechanism, and a viewing apparatus positioned near the monitoring mechanism, whereby visual information in the environment of the robot mechanism is projected on a display of the viewing system. 
     
     
         9 . The robotic control station of  claim 8  wherein the display is a wearable display. 
     
     
         10 . The robotic control system of  claim 6  wherein the circuitry transmitting data comprises wireless transmission circuitry.