title: fMRI-Compatible Electromagnetic Haptic Interface.
abstract: A new haptic interface device is suggested, which can be used for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. The basic component of this 1 DOF haptic device are two coils that produce a Lorentz force induced by the large static magnetic field of the MR scanner. A MR-compatible optical angular encoder and a optical force sensor enable the implementation of different control architectures for haptic interactions. The challenge was to provide a large torque, and not to affect image quality by the currents applied in the device. The haptic device was tested in a 3T MR scanner. With a current of up to 1A and a distance of 1m to the focal point of the MR-scanner it was possible to generate torques of up to 4 Nm. Within these boundaries image quality was not affected.
authors.affiliation: IEEE Member, Rehabilitation Engineering Group, ETH and University Zurich, Switzerland. riener@control.ee.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riener
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Villgrattner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kleiser
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nef
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kollias