Laser Graphics in Augmented Reality Applications for Real- World Robot Deployment

Abstract

Lasers are powerful light source. With their thin shafts of bright light and colours, laser beams can provide a dazzling display matching that of outdoor fireworks. With computer assistance, animated laser graphics can generate eye-catching images against a dark sky. Due to technology constraints, laser images are outlines without any interior fill or detail. On a more functional note, lasers assist in the alignment of components, during installation. We propose the use of lasers in the generation of graphics for augmented reality applications. Whilst the unfilled line drawings may be considered as a disadvantage, the ability to project images in a bright outdoor environment is an advantage, particularly in a natural environment. This chapter describes the use of laser outline graphics to augmented reality applications for a proposed 'industrial' application in a sharedenvironment of humans and robots. This implementation demonstrates a novel application and reaffirms the efficacy of laser graphics in providing notification to third party humans in the environment. When a mobile robot is able to indicate its intentions, humans in its vicinity can better accommodate its actions to avoid possible conflicts. A framework for implementing human-robot interface is proposed. Wearable transparent LCD displays offer a high definition graphical interface to the human supervisor to allow for robot control, whilst laser generated notifications allows both the supervisor and other humans in the shared environment to be informed of the robots intentions, without the need of wearable devices. This leads to a more inclusive interaction for all humans in the shared environment.