The Vicarios Virtual Reality Interface for Remote Robotic Teleoperation

Abstract

AbstractIntuitive interaction is the cornerstone of accurate and effective performance in remote robotic teleoperation. It requires high-fidelity in control actions as well as perception (vision, haptic, and other sensory feedback) of the remote environment. This paper presentsVicarios, a Virtual Reality (VR) based interface with the aim of facilitating intuitive real-time remote teleoperation, while utilizing the inherent benefits of VR, including immersive visualization, freedom of user viewpoint selection, and fluidity of interaction through natural action interfaces.Vicariosaims to enhance the situational awareness, using the concept ofviewpoint-independent mappingbetween the operator and the remote scene, thereby giving the operator better control in the perception-action loop. The article describes the overall system ofVicarios, with its software, hardware, and communication framework. A comparative user study quantifies the impact of the interface and its features, including immersion and instantaneous user viewpoint changes, termed “teleporting”, on users’ performance. The results show that users’ performance with the VR-based interface was either similar to or better than the baseline condition of traditional stereo video feedback, approving the realistic nature of theVicariosinterface. Furthermore, including the teleporting feature in VR significantly improved participants’ performance and their appreciation for it, which was evident in the post-questionnaire results.Vicarioscapitalizes on the intuitiveness and flexibility of VR to improve accuracy in remote teleoperation.