Subtask-Based Usability Evaluation of Control Interfaces for Teleoperated Excavation Tasks

This study aims to experimentally determine the most suitable control interface for different subtasks in the teleoperation of construction robots in a simulation environment. We compare a conventional lever-based rate control interface (“Rate-lever”) with two alternative methods: rate control (“Rat...

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Main Authors: Takumi Nagate, Hikaru Nagano, Yuichi Tazaki, Yasuyoshi Yokokohji
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Robotics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-6581/13/11/163
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author Takumi Nagate
Hikaru Nagano
Yuichi Tazaki
Yasuyoshi Yokokohji
author_facet Takumi Nagate
Hikaru Nagano
Yuichi Tazaki
Yasuyoshi Yokokohji
author_sort Takumi Nagate
collection DOAJ
description This study aims to experimentally determine the most suitable control interface for different subtasks in the teleoperation of construction robots in a simulation environment. We compare a conventional lever-based rate control interface (“Rate-lever”) with two alternative methods: rate control (“Rate-3D”) and position control (“Position-3D”), both using a 3D positional input device. In the experiments, participants operated a construction machine in a virtual environment and evaluated the control interfaces across three tasks: sagittal plane excavation, turning, and continuous operation. The results revealed that “Position-3D” outperformed others for sagittal excavation, while both “Rate-lever” and “Rate-3D” were more effective for turning. Notably, “Position-3D” and “Rate-3D” can be implemented on the same input device and are easily integrated. This feature offers the possibility of a hybrid-type interface suitable for operators to obtain optimized performance in sagittal and horizontal tasks.
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id doaj-art-6f06dff00f564ff6b092717c64c33a3a
institution Kabale University
issn 2218-6581
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Robotics
spelling doaj-art-6f06dff00f564ff6b092717c64c33a3a2024-11-26T18:20:40ZengMDPI AGRobotics2218-65812024-11-01131116310.3390/robotics13110163Subtask-Based Usability Evaluation of Control Interfaces for Teleoperated Excavation TasksTakumi Nagate0Hikaru Nagano1Yuichi Tazaki2Yasuyoshi Yokokohji3Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kobe University, Hyogo 657-8501, JapanHaptics Laboratory, Faculty of Fiber Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 606-8585, JapanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Kobe University, Hyogo 657-8501, JapanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Kobe University, Hyogo 657-8501, JapanThis study aims to experimentally determine the most suitable control interface for different subtasks in the teleoperation of construction robots in a simulation environment. We compare a conventional lever-based rate control interface (“Rate-lever”) with two alternative methods: rate control (“Rate-3D”) and position control (“Position-3D”), both using a 3D positional input device. In the experiments, participants operated a construction machine in a virtual environment and evaluated the control interfaces across three tasks: sagittal plane excavation, turning, and continuous operation. The results revealed that “Position-3D” outperformed others for sagittal excavation, while both “Rate-lever” and “Rate-3D” were more effective for turning. Notably, “Position-3D” and “Rate-3D” can be implemented on the same input device and are easily integrated. This feature offers the possibility of a hybrid-type interface suitable for operators to obtain optimized performance in sagittal and horizontal tasks.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-6581/13/11/163teleoperationhuman interfacecontrol interfacehuman–machine interactionconstruction machineryhydraulic machinery
spellingShingle Takumi Nagate
Hikaru Nagano
Yuichi Tazaki
Yasuyoshi Yokokohji
Subtask-Based Usability Evaluation of Control Interfaces for Teleoperated Excavation Tasks
Robotics
teleoperation
human interface
control interface
human–machine interaction
construction machinery
hydraulic machinery
title Subtask-Based Usability Evaluation of Control Interfaces for Teleoperated Excavation Tasks
title_full Subtask-Based Usability Evaluation of Control Interfaces for Teleoperated Excavation Tasks
title_fullStr Subtask-Based Usability Evaluation of Control Interfaces for Teleoperated Excavation Tasks
title_full_unstemmed Subtask-Based Usability Evaluation of Control Interfaces for Teleoperated Excavation Tasks
title_short Subtask-Based Usability Evaluation of Control Interfaces for Teleoperated Excavation Tasks
title_sort subtask based usability evaluation of control interfaces for teleoperated excavation tasks
topic teleoperation
human interface
control interface
human–machine interaction
construction machinery
hydraulic machinery
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-6581/13/11/163
work_keys_str_mv AT takuminagate subtaskbasedusabilityevaluationofcontrolinterfacesforteleoperatedexcavationtasks
AT hikarunagano subtaskbasedusabilityevaluationofcontrolinterfacesforteleoperatedexcavationtasks
AT yuichitazaki subtaskbasedusabilityevaluationofcontrolinterfacesforteleoperatedexcavationtasks
AT yasuyoshiyokokohji subtaskbasedusabilityevaluationofcontrolinterfacesforteleoperatedexcavationtasks