Rendering Forces With a Modular Cable System, Motors, and Brakes

2026-03-09

AI Summary

This work proposes a modular hybrid-actuation haptic interface architecture to address the challenge of efficiently and flexibly rendering large-scale force feedback in reconfigurable multi-degree-of-freedom systems. The design integrates electric motors and unidirectional brakes within a single compact module, transmitting forces via cables to deliver both smooth active output (up to 6 N) and high-magnitude transient collision feedback (up to 186 N). By enabling arbitrary configuration and supporting high-fidelity force feedback across multiple degrees of freedom, the system significantly expands the dynamic range of haptic rendering while maintaining a compact form factor. This approach facilitates versatile deployment scenarios without compromising the richness or realism of the tactile experience.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Multimodal Perception & Sensor Fusion
• Humans and AI: Interaction Techniques and Devices
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Affective Computing

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User modeling and simulation for interactive and conversational systems

Abstract

We describe the hardware design, force-rendering approach, and evaluation of a new reconfigurable haptic interface consisting of a network of hybrid motor-brake actuation modules that apply forces via cables. Each module contains both a motor and a brake, enabling it to smoothly render active forces up to 6 N using its motor and collision forces up to 186 N using its passive one-way brake. The modular design, meanwhile, allows the system to deliver rich haptic feedback in a flexible number of DoF and widely ranging configurations.

Problem

• haptic interface
• force rendering
• modular system
• cable-driven
• motor-brake actuation

Innovation

• modular haptic interface
• hybrid motor-brake actuation
• cable-driven force rendering
• reconfigurable haptics
• passive brake