TEGA: A Tactile-Enhanced Grasping Assistant for Assistive Robotics Via Sensor Fusion and Closed-Loop Haptic Feedback
Hengxu You, Tianyu Zhou, Fang Xu, Kaleb Smith, Jing Du
AI summary
Problem
Most assistive robotic systems prioritize finger positioning over dynamic grasp force modulation, leaving users with upper-limb disabilities without the tactile feedback necessary to safely handle objects of varying hardness and texture.
Approach
TEGA translates upper-arm EMG signals into grasp intent and maps robotic fingertip tactile data to spatially distributed vibrations on a wearable haptic vest, enabling real-time, closed-loop force adjustment.
Key results
- Integrated EMG-based force inference with real-time vibrotactile feedback
- Developed a multi-modal sensing framework combining AR pose tracking and visuo-tactile data
- Proposed projection models mapping tactile metrics to haptic vest vibrations
- Demonstrated substantial improvements in grasp stability and task success through user studies
Why it matters
Restores critical force perception for users with hand disabilities, advancing the safety, dexterity, and accessibility of assistive robotic manipulation.
Abstract
Recent advances in teleoperation have enabled so- phisticated manipulation of dexterous robotic hands, with most systems concentrating on guiding finger positions to achieve desired grasp configurations. However, while accurate finger positioning is essential, it often overlooks the equally critical task of grasp force modulation—vital for handling objects of diverse hardness, texture, and shape. This limitation poses a significant challenge for users, especially individuals with upper- limb disabilities who lack natural tactile feedback and rely on indirect cues to infer appropriate force levels. To address this gap, We present the tactile-enhanced grasping assistant (TEGA), a closed-loop assistive teleoperation framework that fuses EMG-based intent-to-force inference with visuotactile sensing mapped into real-time vibrotactile feedback via a wearable haptic vest, enabling intuitive, proportional force ad- justment during manipulation. A wearable haptic vest delivers real-time tactile feedback, allowing users to dynamically refine grasp force during manipulation. User studies confirm that the system substantially improves grasp stability and task success, underscoring its potential for assistive robotic applications.