Advanced Operator Interfaces for a Remote Mobile Manipulation Robot

Many hazardous material handling needs exist in remote unstructured environments. Currently these operations are accomplished using personnel in direct contact with the hazards. A safe and cost effective alternative to this approach is the use of intelligent robotic systems for the excavation, handling, and transport of hazardous materials. A robotic system designed for these tasks has been developed at Sandia National Laboratories which successfully integrates computer controlled manipulation and mobility to deliver these needed robotic capabilities in the field.

The mobile robot, RETRVIR, or REmote TeleRobotic Vehicle for Intelligent Remediation, incorporates recent developments in the integration of sensors, advanced computing environments, and graphical user interfaces. The addition of these elements in the control of remotely operated equipment have shown great promise for reducing the cost of remote systems while providing faster and safer operations. This paper describes the application of these developments and the operator interface for the Sandia RETRVIR remote manipulation system.