Cooperative robot teleoperation through virtual reality interfaces

Robots are employed to do exacting routines, ranging from the common place to the difficult and from the relatively safe to the highly dangerous. Remote-controlled robots-or teleoperation-is one way to combine the intelligence and maneuverability of human beings with the precision and durability of robots. Teleoperation can be difficult, due to the complexity both of the system and of information management-and more difficult still in a cooperative environment in which multiple teams are working together in different locations. To facilitate teleoperation, information visualization and a clear communication reference must be deployed in conjunction with an enhanced human machine interface (HMI) among all participating teams. The aim of this paper is to present a set of guidelines defining an ideal user interface utilizing virtual reality desktop for collaborative robot teleoperation in unknown environments. Enhancements in information visualization are discussed, and the case of an underwater robot is presented, because of the special challenges they present: a slow response system and six degrees of movement.