A master-slave system using a multi-DOF ultrasonic motor and its controller designed considering measured and simulated driving characteristics

Master-slave active robot hands and endoscopes, which provide dexterous manipulations and wide views like human hands and eyes, are required to be constructed. We have previously developed a multi-DOF ultrasonic motor consisting of a spherical rotor and a bar-shaped stator. The rotor rotates around three perpendicular axes using three natural vibration modes of the stator. In this study, a multi-DOF unilateral master-slave system using the multi-DOF ultrasonic motor is developed. Master and slave arms for the system have similar configurations, so that an operator can easily handle the master-slave system. First, driving characteristics of the multi-DOF ultrasonic motor are clarified experimentally and analytically in order to design the slave arm and its controller. Next, the master-slave arms and the unilateral feedback controller for the master-slave system are developed. Finally, the motion control tests of the system are performed to show the applicability of the master-slave system.