Virtual Reality In Robotics

Definition of Virtual Reality (VR)

The term Virtual Reality (VR) is used by many different people with as many different meanings. There are some to whom VR is a specific collection of technologies (i.e. Head Mounted Display, Glove Input Device and Audio Device). Others stretch the term to include movies, games, entertainment and imagination. Virtual Reality is a way for humans to visualize, manipulate and interact with extremely complex data in a variety of immersive environments. A computer is used to generate visual, auditory or other sensual outputs to the user. This data may encompass a CAD model, a scientific simulation, or a view into a database. The user can interact with the virtual world and directly manipulate objects within it. Some worlds are animated by other processes such as physical simulations or simple animation scripts. Interaction in an immersive environment is perhaps the most intriguing part of virtual reality. In conventional human-computer interaction, humans remain "separated" from the computer environment. In VR, humans are totally immersed in the visualization-based world (Uenohara, pp. 14-22). They have the ability to manipulate and interact with the objects analyzed just as they do in the real world. Virtual Reality is often referred to by other terms, such as Augmented Reality, Synthetic Environments, Cyberspace, Artificial Reality, Simulator Technology and Immersive Environments. All of these terms actually refer to the same thing - Virtual Reality (VR). VR remains the most used term by the media.

Teleprescence

Teleprescence is a variation on visualizing complete computer-generated worlds. This is a technology that links remote sensors in the real world with the senses of a human operator. In the virtual world, this technology has been used in medicine (called telemedicine), robotics (called telerobotics), firefighting, underwater exploration and space exploration, as well as others. One of the major uses of the technology is in medicine. Surgeons use very small instruments on cables to do surgery without making large incisions in their patients. The instruments have a small video camera at one end (Feiner, pp. 145-155). This technology potentially enables future surgery to be performed remotely. Substantial research is undergoing in this area. Robots equipped with telepresence systems have already been used in deep sea and volcanic exploration. NASA is currently researching the use of telerobotics for space exploration. Therefore, while telepresence does not create a virtual world for the operator, it does give the user enough visual and audio information to make him feel as though he were virtually present.

Robotics and Manufacturing

A telerobot is a robotic system controlled by a human operator at a remote control station. With the development of VR technology in robotics, the control and manipulation of robotic structures have become simple and easy (compared to the traditional method requiring tedious programming). The operator can immerse himself in the robot's task by using VR peripherals (such as a glove and HMD). The manipulation of the robotic arm can be done directly using VR devices. This technology has been widely used in telesurgery (remote surgery using VR technology), ...