A New Navigation Method for VR-based Telerobotic System via Supervisor's Real Walking in a Limited Physical Space

Abstract

Along with the development of network and virtual reality (VR), VR-based telerobotic systems have been widely applied in many fields, especially in hazardous or uncertain environments. But the existing navigation methods of remote robot are implemented by operators using keyboard, mouse joystick, or walking-in-place devices in the VR environments that is telepresence of remote environments. In this paper, we propose a new navigation method for VR-based telerobotic system via operators' real walking in a limited physical space, wherein the motion of a remote robot is synchronized with that of an operator who is actually walking in a limited physical space while naturally interacting (head and body interaction) with the robot and experiencing the remote environment with the help of VR video real-timely captured by the robot. This makes the operators have better sense of presence at the remote sites than the existing methods. We design and implement a system based on this technology, and the test shows that it can make the robot flexible to be navigated in remote complex and dynamic environments.