Automatic-switching-based teleoperation framework for mobile manipulator with asymmetrical mapping and force feedback

Abstract

Teleoperation technology has become a feasible solution for the mobile manipulator to carry out complex tasks in remote environments, with its advantages of mobility and manipulability. However, due to the high redundancy of the mobile manipulator, its application in the field of teleoperation inevitably suffers from the problem of heterogeneity. This paper proposed an automatic-switching-based teleoperation framework with asymmetrical mapping and force feedback. Namely, special coefficients are designed to automatically switch the motion states of the remote robot, so that the traditional manual-based switching strategy can be replaced. Based on these coefficients, the hybrid asymmetrical mapping including the position–velocity and position–position modes can be achieved, as well as the force feedback considering the switching between the remote mobile platform and the manipulator, and thereby accomplishing the automatic switching during the teleoperation of the mobile manipulator. The comparative experiments and user study were carried out on the teleoperation platform. The experimental results show that this proposed teleoperation framework can reduce the time needed to complete the tasks and decrease the decision-making pressure of the operator, thus demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed framework.