Operational Evaluation of a Construction Robot Tele-operation with Force Feedback

摘要

The purpose of this study is to evaluate tele-robotic force perception using auditory feedback, which is based on a master-slave control system for a hydraulic construction robot tele-operation. The system consists of two joysticks, which control the boom, arm, swing and grapple's movement of the construction robot. During tele-operation, operators need to feel a realistic sense of task force brought about by a feedback force from the grapple. The force is detected by using hydraulic pressure sensors, which are easily influenced by cylinders' frictions and cyclic loading effects. The effects create difficulties for the operators to detect small changes within the reaction force, which influence their performance in grasping task. To improve operators' performance, we propose a solution by compensating the insufficient master-slave force feedback information with auditory feedback. Sonification method is used for mapping force gain to sound tempo. The results are observed in the driving force, and analyzed by using gripping risk index, task completion time and subjective workload, under various cases of feedback interfaces and different types of materials. We conclude that the presence of auditory feedback has the potential to improve force perception, and thus operators' performance in construction robot teleoperation.