Teleoperation based on the hidden robot concept

Overlaying classical teleoperation control schemes based on a bilateral master-slave coupling, a teleoperation architecture designed in a general teleworking context is proposed. In this scheme, the executing machine is perceptually and functionally hidden to the operator by means of an intermediate functional representation between a real remote world and man. As any executing machine, and more particularly a robot, will be replaced by man, the image of the robot will not appear in the intermediate representation. This principle is thus named: "the hidden robot concept." In this approach, the teleoperation problem is divided into two main parts: 1) choosing the appropriate intermediate representation and determining its interaction and relation with man and 2) building the relations and transformations between the intermediate representation and the real remote environment. The constituents of this teleoperator are outlined in this paper and an experiment validating this concept is presented.