Mobile robotic teleguide based on video images

Abstract

obot teleoperation is inherently related to sensor data transmission. Sensor data can be interpreted by the robotic system before being transmitted and presented to a user. This typically happens with sonar and laser sensors. In other cases, sensor data can directly be presented to a user to let him or her interpret the transmitted information. This happens, for example, with visual data. Robot teleoperation systems typically rely on two-dimensional (2-D) displays. These systems suffer from many limitations, e.g., misjudgment of self-motion and spatial localization; limited comprehension of remote ambient layout, object size, and shape; etc. This leads to unwanted collisions during navigation and long training periods for an operator. An advantageous alternative to traditional 2-D (monoscopic) visualization systems is represented by the use of stereoscopic viewing. In the literature, we can find works demonstrating that stereoscopic visualization may provide a user with a higher sense of presence in remote environments because of higher depth perception, leading to higher comprehension of distance as well as aspects related to it, e.g., ambient layout, obstacle perception, and maneuver accuracy [2]-[6], [10]. The earlier conclusions can in principle be extended to teleguided robot navigation, where the use of stereo vision is expected to improve the navigation performance and driver capabilities [3]-[6]. However, it is hard to find works in the literature addressing stereoscopic mobile robot teleguide. In addition, it is not straightforward how stereo viewing would be an advantage for indoor workspaces where the ambient layout, typically man-made, would be simple and emphasizing monocular depth cues such as perspective, texture gradient, etc., hence diminishing the advantage of a binocular stereo. The goal of the proposed work is to analyze the characteristics and advantages of a telerobotic system based on video transmission and stereoscopic viewing. The proposed investigation follows a systematic approach based on the identification of main factors and a usability evaluation designed according them. Two different three-dimensional (3-D) visualization facilities are considered to evaluate its performance on systems with different characteristics, cost, and application context. The aim is to gain an insight into the problem and to understand on what system, and to what extent, is the stereo viewing beneficial. In the next section, we introduce visual sensors and stereo viewing. Then, the proposed investigation strategy is presented, followed by experimental design, test setup, and result analysis. Some final remarks conclude the article. Video-Based Teleoperation and Stereo Viewing When operating in unknown or hazardous environments, accurate robot navigation is of paramount importance. Errors and collisions must be minimized. Performance in robot teleoperation can

Human-Robot Interaction for Semi-Autonomous Assistive Robots : Empirical Studies and an Interaction Concept for Supporting Elderly People at Home

“…Compared to previous studies that found advantages of stereo display when navigating with video-based or egocentric 3D user interfaces (Lee & Kim, 2008;Livatino et al, 2008;Chen et al, 2014;Livatino et al, 2010), the additional environment data available through the point cloud display and global 3D environment mapping in the user interface may explain why the present study did not find significant differences between display conditions.…”

“…Studies have suggested that stereoscopic display improves users' task performance and environment judgments in such domains as reaching for objects, positioning and resizing objects, and path tracing in virtual environments (Arsenault & Ware, 2004;Hubona et al, 2004;Sollenberger & Milgram, 1993;Ware & Franck, 1996;Barfield et al, 1999), or in video-based robotic telemanipulation (Edmondson et al, 2012;Drascic, 1991;Hutto et al, 2004), video-based remote robot navigation (Lee & Kim, 2008;Livatino et al, 2008;Chen et al, 2014), and remote robot navigation based on egocentric 3D visualizations extrapolated from 2D laser scanner data (Livatino et al, 2010).…”

“…textures and shadows, which have shown to affect the merits of stereo display. However, such cues are also available in video-based displays, where studies have suggested stereoscopy to be beneficial (Lee & Kim, 2008;Edmondson et al, 2012;Drasic, 1991;Hutto et al, 2004;Livatino et al, 2008).…”

Semi-Autonomous Domestic Service Robots: Evaluation of a User Interface for Remote Manipulation and Navigation With Focus on Effects of Stereoscopic Display

“…Binocular disparity, not available when using standard displays and realized through stereoscopic technology, can be a powerful cue to depth. Compared to monoscopic display, stereoscopic display has shown to improve users' task performance and accuracy of environment judgments in a number of domains related to the present user interface like reaching for objects [53], positioning and resizing objects [54], and path tracing [55][56][57] in virtual environments, video-based robotic telemanipulation [50,58,59], video-based remote robot navigation [49,60,61], and remote robot navigation based on egocentric 3D visualizations extrapolated from 2D laser scanner data [62].…”

Enhancing awareness to support teleoperation of a bulldozer

“…Livatino et al (2008) performed an evaluation comparing monoscopic and stereoscopic viewing in performance of a UGV navigation task. The task involved navigation of a UGV over a short distance (3.5m) through a field of obstacles.…”