Glossary

Bras maître; master arm

Interface used to remotely control the movements of a robot called a slave arm. In general, master and slave arms are coupled in position at their end points, i.e. the gripper on the slave arm reproduces in real time the movements of the handle on the master arm.

Force feedback

Reproduction by the master arm of forces applied to the slave arm. These forces can be measured by sensors placed at the joints of the slave arm or at its terminal member, so as to serve as a setpoint for the master arm. The positions of the master and slave arms can also be mutually slaved. In this way, the slave arm follows the movements of the master arm without resisting the operator as long as it is in free space. If, on the other hand, the slave arm is blocked by contact with its environment, the master arm, which...