A coordinating controller for improved task performance in multi-user teleoperation

Abstract

A teleoperation system extends cognitive and manipulatory skills of a human to a remote site. Here, a multi-user teleoperation system consisting of two haptic interfaces and two teleoperator arms is considered. In addition to a position-based admittance control scheme between corresponding master and slave systems, we introduce a virtual coupling as coordinating controller between the two master and slave systems. Using a robust stability analysis we determine enlarged stability regions in the parameter space compared to the case without coordinating controller. As shown in a complementary paper, an evaluation of the proposed approach moreover yields significant improvements in performance and efficiency. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.