Distributed tele-operation using gestures

Operating teleoperators in hazardous applications requires expertise of an unseen workspace, and performance must be error-free despite the limited sensory feedback. In emergencies, the most skilled teleoperation personnel may be off-site where there is no specific hook-up for teleoperation. In this work me demonstrate an intuitive gestural interface for teleoperation as opposed to the joystick, console or teach-pendant modes. This can be deployed to control the manipulators from remote sites where only a video communication channel is available. Two modes of control are implemented (.)Master-Slave mode, where the robot is a model of the human arm, and (.)Pointing mode, where a motion direction is indicated to any type of robotic device. Pointing Gestures are more accurate and can be used for a wider range of devices. This approach enables distributed operation of a wide range of devices and will allow greater flexibility in the operation of sensitive facilities.