Intuitive User Interfaces for Mobile Manipulation Tasks

This article describes interactive methods that can ease difficult manipulation tasks in Search & Rescue operations. We discuss the requirements that are necessary for a telemanipulation system to be successfully used. These include not just correctness of generated motion but also ergonomy, mobility and interactivity of the operator’s interface. We show that grippers with one or more degrees of freedom can be intuitively controlled by different interface mechanisms, supported by 3D vision systems. Tests are performed both in the simulation environment and with real grippers. A practical pipeline for a direct control and learning the system is also presented.