A Semi-autonomous Teleoperation Method for Mending Robots Based on Virtual Reality and WLAN

Current autonomous control techniques are rarely robust enough to allow successful mobile robot operation. This paper proposes a semi-autonomous teleoperation method for the mending robot that teleoperation is shared by intelligent decision system and operators. The intelligent decision system in the virtual environment is responsible for the planning and controlling motion of the robot. The mending robot consists of the mobile vehicle and the manipulator. The A star algorithm is adopted to plan path of the mobile vehicle. Trajectory and pose of the five degree-of-freedom manipulator are reckoned by Matlab, and controlled by PMAC (program multiple axis controller). Because modelling error of the virtual environment and slide phenomena of wheels exist inevitably, operators must use remote video guidance to eliminate these errors. The virtual environment is established by VC++, OpenGL, and 3DS MAX. Telecommands and videos are transmitted via WLAN (Wireless LAN) with high gain antenna which brings broad bandwidth and far communication distance. Experiments prove that the intelligent decision platform is reliable and efficient. With intervention of operators away from five kilometres, the mending robot can reach the leakage successfully and accomplish the maintenance task smoothly