Human performance in space telerobotic manipulation

ABSTRACT

This paper considers the utility of VR in the design of the interface to a space-based telerobotic manipulator. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential for improved operator performance in a telemanipulation task when the operator's control interface was varied between egocentric and exocentric frames of reference (FOR). Participants performed three tasks of increasing difficulty using a VR-based simulation of the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulation System (SRMS) under four different control interface conditions, which varied in respect of two factors, virtual viewpoint FOR (fixed versus attached to arm) and hand controller FOR (end-effector-referenced versus world-referenced.) Results indicated a high degree of interaction between spatial properties of the task and the optimal interface condition. Across all tasks, the conditions under end-effector-referenced control were associated with higher performance, as measured by rate of task completion. The mobile viewpoint conditions were generally associated with lower performance on task completion rate but improved performance with respect to number of collisions between the arm and objects in the environment. We conclude with discussion of implications for telemanipulation applications, and an approach to varying the dimension of viewpoint egocentricity in order to improve performance under the mobile viewpoint.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
          Subjects: Human factors

General Terms:
Experimentation, Human Factors

Keywords:
SRMS, frame of reference, telerobotics, user studies