Vision-Only Operator Interface for a Robotic Manipulator

A system of electronic hardware and software has been developed as an experimental prototype of a visual interface between a human operator and a possibly remote one-arm anthropomorphic robotic manipulator. The system is denoted, more specifically, as a vision-only operator interface to emphasize that unlike some other operator interfaces, it does not include joysticks, force-feedback devices, or other mechanical devices that could encumber the operator. The operator commands the robot by moving one of his or her arms; the operator receives feedback in the form of a live video image of the work space of the robot overlaid with a graphical model of the robot plus icons that warn of robot poses that should be avoided.