Presentation of push button switches with manipulators for virtual operating environment

The concept of virtual operating environment (VOE) used for teleoperation of various machines is proposed. A virtual cockpit for each machine is constructed within a computer: it consists of virtual input devices such as switches and joysticks, meters or indicators, and TV monitors displaying the images from the machine-mounted cameras. The cockpit is displayed to an operator through a head-mounted display. In the real world, a manipulator presents the virtual input devices by turns; the operator handles the end-effector of the manipulator, regarding it as the input device. VOE can provide different types of operating environment for various machines simply by switching softwares. One of the most important techniques for VOE is the simulation and presentation of various input devices with a manipulator. The manipulator simulates the switch using the obtained impedance model. It is ascertained by experiment that the manipulator can present two different switches.