Immersive 3-D teleoperation of a search and rescue robot using a head-mounted display

This paper proposes an alternative approach to common teleoperation methods found in search and rescue (SAR) robots. Using a head mounted display (HMD) the operator is capable of perceiving rectified images of the robot world in 3-D, as transmitted by a pair of stereo cameras onboard the robot. The HMD is also equipped with an integrated head-tracker, which permits controlling the robot motion in such a way that the cameras follow the operator´s head movements, thus providing an immersive sensation to him. We claim that this approach is a more intuitive and less error prone teleoperation of the robot. The proposed system was evaluated by a group of subjects, and the results suggest that it may yield significant benefits to the effectiveness of the SAR mission. In particular, the user´s depth perception and situational awareness improved significantly when using the HMD, and their performance during a simulated SAR operation was also enhanced, both in terms of operation time and on successful identification of objects of interest.