Telexistence and Teleoperation for Walking Humanoid Robots

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel architecture enabling telexistence and teleoperation of humanoid robots, integrating multiple technologies and algorithms to enhance human-robot interaction and embodiment, demonstrated through experiments with the iCub robot.

Contribution

The paper presents a new architecture for humanoid robot teleoperation and telexistence, combining various methodologies and analyzing human experience and embodiment aspects.

Findings

Effective human control of humanoid robots demonstrated

Enhanced proprioception and embodiment through the architecture

Positive user adaptation and training results with iCub robot

Abstract

This paper proposes an architecture for achieving telexistence and teleoperation of humanoid robots. The architecture combines several technological set-ups, methodologies, locomotion and manipulation algorithms in a novel manner, thus building upon and extending works available in literature. The approach allows a human operator to command and telexist with the robot. Therefore, in this work we treat aspects pertaining not only to the proposed architecture structure and implementation, but also the human operator experience in terms of ability to adapt to the robot and to the architecture. Also the proprioception aspects and embodiment of the robot are studied through specific experimental results, which are also treated in a somewhat formal, albeit high-level manner. Application of the proposed architecture and experiments incorporating user training and experience are addressed using an illustrative bipedal humanoid robot, namely the iCub robot.