Video and laser based augmented reality stereoscopic viewing for mobile robot teleoperation

This paper proposes an augmented reality visualization interface to simultaneously present visual and laser sensors information further enhanced by stereoscopic viewing. The use of augmented layers is proposed to represent laser measurements suitably aligned to video information. This methodology enables an operator to intuitively comprehend object proximity and to respond in an accurate and timely manner. The use of augmented reality to assist teleoperation, sometime discussed in the literature, is here proposed following a systematic approach and developed based on authors' previous work on stereoscopic teleoperation. The approach is experimented on a real telerobotic system where a user operates a mobile robot located thousands kilometers away. The result proved feasibility and simplicity of the proposed methodology and it represents a base for further studies.