Exploration of Alternative Interaction Techniques for Robotic Systems

A robotic system can be considered a computer with the capacity to interact with the real world using sensors and actuators. This article reports on the authors´ experiences in developing novel user interfaces for robotic systems, especially in the home environment. High-level control methods that use gestural or speech commands are overly ambiguous or excessively detailed for daily use. The proposed approach is to apply techniques developed in the human-computer interaction field, such as augmented reality and tangible user interfaces, to human-robot interaction. The authors introduce prototype systems such as home appliance control methods using augmented reality, a paper-based method for instructing mobile robots, and various I/O devices to enhance physical interaction with robotic systems. They then discuss lessons learned and directions for future research based on their experiences building these prototype robotic systems and interfaces.