Disposal of explosive ordnances by use of a bimanual haptic telepresence system

Abstract

The paper outlines a novel approach for performing explosive ordnance disposal by use of a bimanual haptic telepresence system. This system enables an operator to perceive multimodal feedback from a remote environment for proper task execution. The developed experimental setup, comprising a bimanual human system interface and the corresponding bimanual teleoperator for use of both hands, is presented in detail. The teleoperation control architecture is discussed as well as a local model-based impedance control algorithm for manipulator control. Human-system performance is improved by means of stereo visualization of the tele-environment together with overlayed Augmented Reality assistance, and an algorithm for avoidance of dangerous manipulator configurations supported by augmented force feedback. Furthermore, a recently developed UDP communication library is presented for system interconnection taking into account compression of haptic data. Thus efficient and low delay of data transfer is ensured. The usability and effectiveness of the developed bimanual telepresence system are demonstrated by focusing a relevant task scenario, such as demining operations in a remote environment.