Pingguo Huang

By Pingguo Huang and Yutaka Ishibashi

Recently, many researchers focus on studies of remote robot operation with force feedback. By using force feedback, since users can touch remote objects and feel the shape, weight, and softness of each object, the efficiency and accuracy of operation can be largely improved. However, when the haptic information such as force and/or position information is transmitted over a QoS (Quality of Service) non-guaranteed network like the Internet, QoE (Quality of Experience) and stability may seriously deteriorate. Therefore, it is important to carry out QoS control and stabilization control together to solve the problems. In this chapter, we mainly focus on QoS control. We also introduce our remote robot system with force feedback which we constructed to study QoS control and stabilization control by experiment. In the system, a user operates a remote industrial robot with a force sensor by using a local haptic interface device while monitoring the robot operation by a video camera. We handle two types of operation; operation with a single remote robot system and that between two remote robot systems. We explain several types of QoS control which we have proposed so far for remote robot operation with force feedback. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future directions of QoS control in remote robot operation with force feedback.

Part of the book: Robotics Software Design and Engineering

By Pingguo Huang and Yutaka Ishibashi

By using remote robot systems with force feedback, we can largely improve the efficiency and accuracy of work among the systems over a network. In such a system, a human can operate a remote robot by manipulating a haptic interface device while monitoring the movement of the robot arm and perceiving force applied to an object touched/moved by an arm of the robot having a force sensor. The remote robot systems with force feedback are expected to be used in many areas such as outer space, deep sea, nuclear power plants, and disaster areas, which humans cannot enter easily. In these situations, three types of cooperation among humans and robots (that is, between humans and robots, between humans, and between robots) are highly demanded. In this chapter, we introduce our remote robot systems with force feedback and describe the three types of cooperation among humans and robots in the systems. We also explain QoS (Quality of Service) control and stabilization control as our challenges and solutions for effective cooperation. Furthermore, we discuss future directions of the cooperation.

Part of the book: Human-Robot Interaction