Comfortable avatar robot interface using intentional intervention and perceptual illusion

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K18701
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 20:Mechanical dynamics, robotics, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Kurazume Ryo 九州大学, システム情報科学研究院, 教授 (70272672)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 遠隔操縦 / アバターロボット / ヒューマンロボットインターフェース

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, two research topics, (1) the development of technology to prevent the operator from feeling that the robot is not moving as desired, and (2) the development of technology to match the operator's commands themselves to the robot's movements, were studied. For (1), we constructed a system in which an image seen from the robot in a virtual space is presented to the operator, so that the operator is under the illusion that the robot is moving as he or she intends. In (2), we studied a system that gives the operator the illusion that he is controlling the robot at his will, even though he is actually giving the robot commands as intended. We constructed an experimental system using a real robot and a virtual robot, and conducted remote control experiments and psychological evaluation experiments by several operators to confirm the effectiveness of the developed method.

Free Research Field

ロボット工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

遠隔地からロボットを操縦する際、通常は人間の操縦に加えて、ロボットには搭載センサにより障害物の自動回避、停止などの安全システムが備えられている。しかし、実際にロボットを操縦してみると、ロボットは操縦者が気付かない障害物に反応し、操縦者は自分が出した指令通りにロボットが移動しないことから強いストレスを感じる場合がある。本研究では、ロボットは操縦者に悟られないように自動で障害物を回避しつつ、操縦者はその回避行動にまったく気づかず、自分の意のままにロボットが動いていると錯覚させる、意思介入と知覚誘導を利用した心地よいアバターロボットのインターフェースを開発した。