Throttle functionality of haptic controller

1. A system configured to operate a robotic device, the system comprising:

a rotatable knob coupled to a base;

at least one motor that is operable to apply a torque-generating force to the rotatable knob;

one or more touch sensors arranged to sense touch input on a curved surface of the rotatable knob; and

a control system configured to:

detect, based at least in part on touch data from the curved touchpad, a throttle mode input, wherein the detected throttle mode input comprises multi-touch data corresponding to a throttle grip on the rotatable knob; and

in response to the throttle mode input, switch from a given mode of operation to a throttle mode, wherein operating in the throttle mode comprises controlling the at least one motor to affect the rotation of the rotatable knob to simulate a throttle, and wherein the given mode and the throttle mode are different.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the throttle mode input further comprises inertial data from one or more sensors.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein operation in the throttle mode allows for rotation of the rotatable knob between: (i) an initial position and (ii) a stop position.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the control system is further configured to cause the at least one motor to apply a sonic output by oscillating to the rotatable knob at the initial position and the stop position.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein rotation from the initial position to the stop position is in a first direction, and wherein operation in the throttle mode further allows for rotation of the rotatable knob in a second direction from the initial position to a second stop position, wherein the second direction is opposite of the first direction.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein operation in the throttle mode further comprises operating the at least one motor to apply torque-generating force to the rotatable knob in accordance with a return-to-center function for the rotatable knob.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to (i) set an initial position upon detecting the throttle mode input, (ii) detect a movement from the initial position, and (iii) in response to detecting the movement from the initial position, apply torque-generating force to the rotatable knob to return the rotatable knob to the initial position.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to apply a force-derivative torque to the knob in response to an applied knob force, wherein the force-derivative torque is related to the derivative of the applied knob force.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to apply a velocity-dependent damping torque to the knob in response to an applied knob force, wherein the velocity-dependent damping torque is related to the velocity of the applied knob force.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the velocity-dependent damping torque further comprises a viscous damping factor.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to apply a sonic output by oscillating torque through the motor.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more touch sensors comprise a curved touchpad.

13. A method comprising:

receiving touch data from one or more touch sensors, wherein the one or more touch sensors are arranged on a curved surface of a rotatable knob, wherein the rotatable knob is coupled to a base, and wherein at least one motor that is operable to apply torque-generating force to the rotatable knob;

detecting, based at least in part on the touch data, a throttle mode input, wherein the detected throttle mode input comprises multi-touch data corresponding to a throttle grip on the rotatable knob; and

in response to the throttle mode input, switch from a given mode of operation to a throttle mode, wherein operating in the throttle mode comprises operating the at least one motor to affect the rotation of the rotatable knob to simulate a throttle, wherein operation of the motor differs between the given mode and the throttle mode.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein operating in the throttle mode further comprises applying a return-to-center function to control rotation of the rotatable knob.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting the throttle mode input further comprises detecting inertial data from one or more inertial sensors.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the touch data indicates a throttle grip on the rotatable knob.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein operation in the throttle mode allows for rotation of the rotatable knob between: (i) an initial position and (ii) a stop position.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein operating in the throttle mode further comprises operating the at least one motor to according to a return-to-center function.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the touch data indicates a throttle grip on the rotatable knob.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions executable by a processor to cause a computing device to perform operation comprising:

receiving touch data from one or more touch sensors, wherein the one or more touch sensors are arranged on a curved surface of a rotatable knob, wherein the rotatable knob is coupled to a base, and wherein at least one motor that is operable to apply torque-generating force to the rotatable knob;

detecting, based at least in part on the touch data, a throttle mode input, wherein the detected throttle mode input comprises multi-touch data corresponding to a throttle grip on the rotatable knob; and

in response to the throttle mode input, switch from a given mode of operation to a throttle mode, wherein operating in the throttle mode comprises operating the at least one motor to affect the rotation of the rotatable knob to simulate a throttle, wherein operation of the motor differs between the given mode and the throttle mode.