Development of a Force Perturbation Handle for Physical Interaction Research in Humans
Abstract
The vision of advancing robots capable of direct physical engagement with humans begins with an understanding of how humans interact with each other. Even rudimentary interactive tasks, such as shaking hands, provide tremendous challenges for modern robotics, and current research into the biomechanics of such interactions is limited. Thus, further analysis of physical human–human interaction (HHI) will bolster efforts to enhance collaborative robot capabilities. To this end, a custom force perturbation handle (FPH) was developed, including the requisite mechanical, electrical, and software systems, to investigate the unique role of arm stiffness modulation in haptic communication between humans. The novel device records force and torque values generated by an interacting dyad and administers controlled force perturbations for estimating arm impedance metrics while maintaining a compact configuration that facilitates natural manipulation during pHHI tasks. To evaluate the capabilities of the FPH, a pilot experiment was conducted where subjects were instructed to exhibit specified levels of arm stiffness to which the calculated values from the FPH were compared. The results from four unbalanced two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) analyses indicated a strong correspondence between the subjects' stiffness instruction and the estimated values from the FPH. The data were further validated through a qualitative analysis of arm displacement and actuation length. Considerations were addressed for deploying the FPH in future dynamic pHHI tasks to acquire valuable insight into motor communication strategies between humans and its applications for future interactive robotics.
Recommended Citation
H. V. Tien et al., "Development of a Force Perturbation Handle for Physical Interaction Research in Humans," Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, vol. 148, no. 6, article no. 064501, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Jun 2026.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4071214
Department(s)
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Second Department
Psychological Science
Keywords and Phrases
arm impedance modulation; biomechanics; haptic communication; physical interaction; stiffness estimation
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1528-8951; 0148-0731
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 American Society of Mechanical Engineers, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jun 2026
PubMed ID
41746300
Comments
National Science Foundation, Grant 2046552