Assistive teleoperation of robot arms via automatic time-optimal mode switching

Laura Herlant, Rachel Holladay, Siddhartha Srinivasa

Abstract:

Assistive robotic arms are increasingly enabling users with upper extremity disabilities to perform
activities of daily living on their own. However, the increased capability and dexterity of the arms
also makes them harder to control with simple, low-dimensional interfaces like joysticks and sip-
and-puff interfaces. A common technique to control a high-dimensional system like an arm with a
low-dimensional input like a joystick is through switching between multiple control modes.
However, our interviews with daily users of the Kinova JACO arm identified mode switching as a
key problem, both in terms of time and cognitive load. We further confirmed objectively that mode
switching consumes about 17.4% of execution time even for able-bodied users controlling the
JACO. Our key insight is that using even a simple model of mode switching, like time optimality,
and a simple intervention, like automatically switching modes, significantly improves user
satisfaction.