Virtual image efficiency for a remote operation by using virtual environments

In this research, a viewing support test system for a remote operation which includes a visual support module is developed for experiments on the visual efficiency of a remote operation based on the virtual images generated by a 3D simulation of a virtual environment. For implementing this system, we established the working environment by using the SCORBOT-ER VII robot and constructed a 3D virtual environment similar to the real environment. The framework for the system was created by Windows API based on a PC and the library of a graphic tool such as ENVISION. In order to investigate the efficiency of a visual support, we carried out a test with four tasks classified by the methods of a visual support such as a real view, camera view, virtual view and camera plus virtual view. The experiment results showed that the task supported by the camera and a. virtual view has about a 30 % more efficiency than the task supported by the camera view only.