Robotic assembly operation based on task-level teaching in virtual reality

The authors propose a robot teaching interface which uses virtual reality. The teaching method provides a user interface with which a novice operator can easily direct a robot. The operator performs the assembly task in a virtual workspace generated by a computer. The operator´s movements are recognized as robot task-level operations by using a finite automation. The system interprets the recognized operations into manipulator-level commands using task-dependent interpretation rules and a world model. A robot executes the assembly task in the workplace by replicating the operator´s movements in the virtual workspace