Two-arm Robot Teleoperation using a Multi-touch Tangible User Interface

Abstract

Teleoperation of robots can be interesting in various scenarios: operation in hazardous environments, medical surgery in the presence of radiation or, in general, remote control of robots in (partially) unknown environments. Crucial to teleoperation systems is an intuitive interface for the remote operator to ensure straightforward and precise control of the operated system. Advanced hardware devices and powerful software frameworks allow for quick development of such interfaces. We present a case study implementing a novel two-arm robot teleoperation interface using multi-touch and tangible user interface concepts. The focus lies on the implementation of this system, using an object oriented robot programming framework and the Microsoft Surface as a user interface platform.