This paper recommends an improved design methodology for the slave half of teleoperator systems based on the notion of master‐slave symmetry. Traditional slaves consist of a conventional robot retrofitted with force‐torque sensors. The new methodology eliminates dependence on destabilizing...

Last December a meeting of the SILVER Robotics Special Interest Group was held at the Land Systems Section of DERA at Chertsey, UK, and addressed the subject of robotics in military and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) applications. Presentations speculated on the future of intelligent...

Discusses the requirement for teleoperation and the optimum division of tasks between the human operator and the robot controller. Concludes that a combination of adaptive autonomous control with teleoperation will allow operators to take a more supervisory role.

Telexistence (tele‐existence) is technology which enables a human being to have a real time sensation of being at a remote location, while giving the person the ability to interact with the remote and/or virtual environments. He or she can “telexist” (tele‐exist) in a real environment...

This paper describes the development of the ARM System, an advanced subsea manipulator for weld inspection. ARM uses an advanced man‐machine interface and provides robotic control of the manipulator using techniques developed in factory robots. A more advanced robotic control system, Polecat,...

This article outlines some of the recent telepresence and teleoperation work being carried out in the Transparent Telepresence Research Group at the University of Strathclyde. Teleoperation work involving remotely operated vehicles, remote sensor platforms, and remote manipulators is described....

RTS is a Finnish robot technology company that acquired the automation division of British company Thurnall in 1998 to form RTS Thurnall plc. The article discusses the background to this merger and describes the activities of the two operations and how they complement each other. RTS has...

Honda revealed a humanoid robot with two legs and two arms in December of 1996. The robot walks not only forward and backward but also diagonally either to the right or left and turns in any direction as well. The robot can also steadily walk up and down a staircase without missing a step and...

Describes the latest robot, the IRB 340 FlexPicker, from ABB Flexible Automation that is designed for high speed picking and placing operations found in the food and beverage industry. The new gantry mounted robot is based on a triple arm configuration licensed from a Swiss company. The robot is...

Outlines the special design requirements for robots working in the food industry