Abstract

To meet the growing demand of the development of Distributed Virtual Environment (DVE), stability of haptic displays in DVE is now an interesting and challenging research problem. In the case of network-based haptic display the criteria for stability are far more complicated and requires the force and kinematic data to be transferred over the communication links. In this thesis, Dead Reckoning Algorithm in haptic simulation is introduced to guarantee stability for any kind of time delays or loss of information over network. Haptic dead-reckoning allows a comparatively simpler, local environment model to serve the haptic rendering while being periodically updated by a more complex and accurate model. Two force calculation models--"Complex" and "Simple" are simulated with an order reduction technique in a two user DVE with haptic devices. Force outputs for different types of interaction from both the force calculation models along with the errors between them are investigated. Stability and discrete-time passivity of haptic displays are guaranteed for any kind of delays without sacrificing the total loop gain. This technique enhances the real-time performance in force feedback realization and reduces the human risk involved.