Virtual Reality in Cooperative Teleoperation

Abstract

Virtual reality enables to build systems that enhance communication by facilitating information display. ln teleoperation applications, virtual reality improves task performance thanks to intuitive manipulation and exploration of working environment. ln more, an interactive 3D simulation allows to give "virtual assistance" to the operator by adding guides or actors, present or not in the real world, which aid the operator in task leaming or execution. Our research in telerobotics systems involves the integration of (real or virtual) autonomous entities as assistants for teleoperation missions. This paper describes a platformfor teleoperation systems prototyping that is able to manage teleoperated and autonomous entities. This platform, called ASSET, includes contrai of interaction and acting devices, 3D rendering and easy integration of user components. Our system is analysed in this paper and a concrete example of its applicability in cooperative teleoperation is shown.