Augmented Reality User Interface for Mobile Robots With Manipulator Arms: Development, Testing, and Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) combines real-world visual data with an overlay of computer graphics, enhancing the original video feed. AR can improve communication between robots and users via an intuitive spatial and visual dialogue, making it an attractive tool for teleoperated robot user interfaces (UIs). Many Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) teleoperation tasks require both chassis navigation and manipulator arm control; however existing literature usually focuses on one task or the other, so there exists a gap in mobile robot UIs that take advantage of AR for both navigation and manipulation. This work describes the development and initial testing of a low-cost alpha-design UI for a teleoperated mobile manipulation task that uses AR technology to help the user feel more present in the robot’s environment. The results of the initial user tests are to be used to guide the future development of the user interface.