Teleoperation and Robotics

2 The contribution of computer science.- 2.1 A description of teleoperation systems.- Teleoperation with mechanical transmission.- Teleoperation with electrical transmission (unilateral control or bilateral servocontrol).- Computerized teleoperation.- Comments on this description.- The overall function of data processing in teleoperation.- Conclusions.- 2.2 The operator substitution function by computer.- Elimination of the human operator upon request.- Parallel action of the operator and the computer on different systems to ensure their coupling.- Modification to the master-slave transmissions for movement or force (to help manipulation).- Conclusions.- 2.3 The use of computer feedback to the operator.- Making use of the senses.- The choice of data to be transmitted to the operator.- Whether, and in what form, to present visual signals to the operator.- Redundancy and complementarity of vision and touch.- Conclusions.- 3 Performance and the man-machine interface.- 3.1 Performance evaluation of teleoperation systems.- How can the performance of a teleoperation system be defined and assessed?.- Qualitative performance: manipulator properties.- Towards quantitative performance measurement.- Conclusions.- 3.2 The human operator in the teleoperation system.- The man-manipulator interface.- Demands of the remote manipulation task.- Strategy for task execution.- The design of the workstation.- Analysis of work in real situations and evaluation of the work load.- Performance evaluation of remote manipulator systems under different experimental conditions.- Comparison of the different models of mechanical master-slave manipulators in experimental situations.- Ergonomic consequences of the technological advances in teleoperation.- 4 Applications of teleoperation.- 4.1 Nuclear applications.- Research and pilot facilities.- Operation and maintenance of industrial nuclear facilities.- Decommissioning and dismantling nuclear facilities.- Emergency intervention.- Conclusions.- 4.2 Underwater applications.- Manned submarines.- Cable-controlled devices (Busby, 1981).- Free-swimming underwater vehicles.- Inspection, maintenance and construction of underwater facilities.- Undersea mining: poly metallic nodules.- Conclusions.- 4.3 Space applications of teleoperation.- Planetary exploration and experimentation.- Satellite maintenance and servicing.- Assembly and maintenance of large space stations.- Conclusions.- 4.4 Medical applications of teleoperation.- Teleoperation for handling and transporting patients in hospital.- Applied teleoperation for patients with motor handicaps.- Telesurgery.- Conclusions.- 4.5 Industrial applications of teleoperation.- Applications in metallurgy and forging.- Public works applications.- Mining applications.- Handling objects that cannot be modelled by computer.- Work on high voltage power lines.- Conclusions: promises of industrial servicing robotics.- 4.6 Applications in security and civil protection.- Fighting fires and saving lives.- Applications in bomb defusing and disposal, and the police force.- Applications of legged locomotion.- 4.7 Conclusion.