Cooperative human and machine perception in teleoperated assembly

This paper presents results on a teleoperator expert assistant - a system that in cooperation with a human operator estimates properties of remote environment objects in order to improve task performance. Specifically, an undersea connector-mating task is investigated in the laboratory using a PHANToM master and WAM remote manipulator. Estimates of socket orientation are obtained during task performance and conveyed to the operator through a graphical display. Task performance, measured by completion time and peak insertion force, is compared for operators using combinations of video images, the graphical display and a shared control mode in which the connector automatically rotates to the estimated socket orientation. The graphical display and automatic orientation controller reduce task completion times and contact forces by over one-third for inclined sockets when the video signal is noisy, e.g., due to water turbidity.