Interactive Virtual Fixture Generation for Shared Teleoperation in Unstructured Environments

Abstract

We present a method of virtual fixture generation for shared teleoperation. The method is based on an interactive selection of 2d image features obtained from a 3d camera. The preferred features are then automatically transformed into several possible 3d geometries which the human operator chooses to define the virtual fixture. The generated virtual fixtures are utilized in the teleoperator's control system to render haptic assistance on the master device. The proposed method is intuitive, easy to use, and applies to unstructured environments. The proposed method is implemented as a graphical user interface that enables virtual fixture-based control of a robotic manipulator located at a remote site.