The present invention concerns a ground-based haptic interface equipped
with at least two decoupled rotary finger actuators adapted to be
manipulated with the fingertips of a single hand of a user. For each
finger actuator, means are included for measuring the angular position of
the actuator or a for measuring the torque applied on the axis of
rotation of the actuator. Each rotary finger actuator is associated with
a control motor adapted to apply, on the axis of rotation of the
actuator, a torque that is a function of the angular position of the
actuator, or that controls the rotational position of the axis of
rotation of the actuator as a function of the torque applied on this
axis. The haptic interface can be used as a peripheral of a computer, for
example, for interacting with a virtual environment. It can also be
applied to the control or manipulation of real objects by being coupled,
for example, with a robot or a manipulating arm. The interface also can
be telemanipulated.