Semi-Autonomous Manipulator System (SMS)

Current manipulator technologies on robotic platforms are still rather primitive in terms of their control and sensing. Operators are required to control each individual joint, usually just one at a time, in an open-loop manner, resulting in a slow and tedious process to position the end-effector. Additionally, operators typically do not have direct visual line-of-sight to the robot’s working area, forcing the operator to rely on imagery from one or more robot-mounted cameras. It is clear that the next logical step in the evolution of mobile manipulator robotic technology is to move to semi-autonomous operations, and to do so in a manner that makes sense to the operator. This proposal presents RE2’s approach for advancing the state of the art of semi-autonomous manipulation for unmanned ground vehicles working in unstructured mission environments. The proposed approach combines RE2’s proven, robust robotic manipulator technology, a single-camera-based generic object tracking system, and intuitive user interfaces to create a complete Semi-autonomous Manipulation System (SMS). The primary benefit of the SMS is a significant decrease in the cognitive burden of the operator when controlling the manipulator during these missions, especially missions with tedious and repetitive tasks, thereby decreasing overall mission duration and increasing operator safety.