Tatsuhiko Monji

Evaluation of enhanced manipulability in computer-aided teleoperation using a simulator

Fundamental data concerning the partitioning of functions between human operators and computers in teleoperation systems are presented in this paper. These data were obtained experimentally using a simulator. The simulator was made up of three components: a hypothetical robot manipulator capable of moving in a two-dimensional plane; an aiding device; and input devices necessary in the manual mode of teleoperation. The aiding device can substitute for a human operator for a while by operating the robot hand. It is demonstrated that the aiding device is very useful, especially in cases where the human operator is inexperienced or where the task is too difficult to do, for example, when the number of degrees of freedom of the manipulators motion is high.