RIDE: Mixed-mode control for mobile robot teams

There is a growing need for robot control interfaces that allow a single user to effectively control more than one remote robot. The increasing levels of autonomy demonstrated by our robots allow them to be controlled at higher and higher levels of abstraction. However, these systems are not perfect, and human intervention is sometimes required when unexpected circumstances arise, or an object beyond the capability of the perception systems must be analyzed. This requirement for occasional intervention suggests that our interfaces should be capable of both high-level (taskbased) and low-level (direct teleoperation) control of remote robots, with the ability to switch easily between these modes, as required by the situation. The goal of a single operator controlling many robots also suggests that a system that allows an individual to alert the operator when help is needed would be useful. If there are too many robots for the operator to attend to at once, there is a distinct possibility that a robot may sit idle, waiting for help, for a long time without such a notification system.