Researchers Eito Sato and Takahiro Wada, affiliated with the Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Japan, have developed a novel approach to enhance teleoperation of underwater robots. Their work focuses on improving the effectiveness of haptic shared control (HSC) in scenarios where full autonomy is hindered by uncertainty or sensing constraints. The study introduces a cooperative framework that integrates a joystick-independent autonomous controller with HSC, addressing the limitations of conventional methods.
The researchers identified that the dynamics of the joystick and human arm can significantly impact the robot’s behavior, thereby limiting the performance of autonomous control when maximizing HSC strength. To overcome this challenge, they proposed a framework that uses a control barrier function to ignore joystick inputs within a safe region determined by the human operator in real-time. When the operation falls outside this safe region, HSC is engaged to assist the operator.
A pilot experiment was conducted to validate the effectiveness of this new framework. The experiment involved simulated tasks using a tele-operated underwater robot in a virtual environment. The results demonstrated that the proposed method improved accuracy and reduced the time required to complete tasks compared to conventional HSC. This suggests that the cooperative framework can enhance the efficiency and precision of teleoperation in underwater environments.
The practical applications of this research are significant for the marine sector. Underwater robots are crucial for various tasks, including inspection, maintenance, and exploration of marine environments. The enhanced control provided by this cooperative framework can improve the performance of these robots, making operations safer and more efficient. This advancement could be particularly beneficial in scenarios where human operators face challenges due to limited visibility, communication delays, or complex underwater currents.
By integrating autonomous control with human input, the researchers have created a system that leverages the strengths of both approaches. This human-centered cooperative control not only improves the robot’s performance but also reduces the cognitive load on the operator, allowing for more effective and efficient teleoperation. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing development of advanced control systems for underwater robots, paving the way for more sophisticated and reliable marine operations. Read the original research paper here.