Development of Handheld Haptics Device for Driving System of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

Abstract

This paper presents a research aimed at illustrating hydrodynamic force impact on the orientation of a Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) operating underwater by providing kinaesthetic haptic feedback to its handheld steering device. To get more understanding on how this aim can be achieved, a literature review had been done on the haptic feedback which are available to ROV pilots and how it could be delivered through a handheld device. While some achievement were made in providing different cues to pilots on drag force and its influence on its speed, non-have been made to offer insight on how it had affected ROVs orientation through haptic feedback. This study found that currently available handheld haptic device, while successfully delivering tactile feedback, are not capable of providing kinaesthetic feedback at par with the grounded haptic device. To address this, a series of thrusters has been introduced as a new actuation technique in providing kinaesthetic feedback on a handheld device in all three axes. This would allow total illustration of ROV orientation through haptic feedback. This paper has summarized and discussed our findings in our literature review, followed by some details of the proposed method.