Yu Tzu Wu.

The force myography (FMG) is the mechanical counterpart of the surface electromyography, in which the hand movements and forces are estimated from the radial pressure exerted by the forearm muscles, providing a robust and straightforward method for applications in teleoperation, prosthesis control, and human-robot interaction. In this sense, the project proposes the development of an optical fiber sensor system for postures identification by FMG. The wearable optomechanical transducers will be designed based on techniques such as light intensity modulation and specklegram analyses, with further characterization and refinements in order to achieve 10 N sensitivity and 100 ms dynamic response. Next, waveform features extraction procedures and artificial neural networks classifiers will be implemented for correlating the acquired FMG signals to the performed postures, with 90% target accuracy. Finally, the measurement system will be integrated with a virtual anthropomorphic manipulator for real-time control, so the robot behavior will be described by an event-driven finite state machine switched by the classifier output. The successful accomplishment of this project will provide a novel, robust, and low-cost technology for human-robot interaction, with further applications in bionic prostheses control and virtual reality systems, thus generating technical contributions to the fields of photonics, robotics, and automation, as well as multidisciplinary scientific results.

Tactile sensors are required for the implementation of advanced mechatronic systems, such as in robotics, virtual reality or medical applications, allowing point or distributed measurements by the physical contact between sensor and object. Even thought several technologies have been proposed (based on resistive, capacitive, optical, and magnetic principles), such devices present limitations in terms of performance, cost, and robustness. Alternatively, optical fiber sensors are considered promising technologies, presenting high sensitivity, compact size, and distributed sensing capability. In this context, present Research Project proposes the development of fiber tactile sensors based in 3 measurement principles: intensity, wavelength and specklegram analysis. The transducers will be integrated to optoelectronic signal interrogation systems, and the point or distributed sensors will be characterized according to their static and dynamic responses. After defining the calibration curves, the information acquired by the sensors will be processed by artificial neural networks, and then displayed by a graphical user interface. In addition, the tactile devices will be eventually integrated to glove-based sensors, aiming applications in haptics and rehabilitation systems. The project will provide a high sensitive, robust and low cost sensing solution of relevance for the photonics, robotics and automation industries in Brazil, and also academic results with notability in terms of originality and interdisciplinarity..

O projeto tem como objetivo o desenvolvimento de um sensor de fibra para monitoramento de sinais de miografia de força (FMG), visando a posterior detecção das forças e movimentos das mãos. Serão construídos transdutores opto-mecânicos a serem distribuídos ao longo do antebraço, de forma a correlacionar a intensidade luminosa com a força aplicada pelos diferentes músculos. Os sinais ópticos serão adquiridos e condicionados, e então armazenados em um banco de dados. Posteriormente, as informações obtidas pelo conjunto de sensores serão correlacionadas com as condições de força e postura aplicadas por meio de algoritmos de redes neurais artificiais (RNA), sendo que os resultados serão apresentados em tempo real em uma interface computacional. Se bem sucedido, o projeto proporcionará uma tecnologia inovadora e de baixo custo relativo para monitoramento das forças e movimentos da mão do usuário, viabilizando a sua implementação no controle de próteses, acionamento de manipuladores antropomórficos, desenvolvimento de ambientes de simulação háptica, além de servir como ferramenta para diagnóstico e reabilitação.