Towards omnidirectional immersion for ROV teleoperation

Abstract

The use of omnidirectional cameras underwater is enabling many new and exciting applications in multiple fields. Among them, it will allow Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROVs) to be piloted directly by means of the images captured by omnidirectional cameras through virtual reality (VR) headsets. This immersive experience will extend the pilot's spatial awareness and reduce the usual orientation problems during missions. This paper presents this concept and illustrates it with the first experiments for achieving this purpose.

Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality for Human-Robot Interaction: A Survey and Virtual Design Element Taxonomy

“…Using VR interfaces for these purposes reduces risks, addresses spatial and monetary limitations, and promotes new opportunities to experiment with new (or not yet physically feasible) robots and environments. Moreover, VR interfaces can be used to visualize the real world in new ways, allowing teleoperators and supervisors to view robots' real environments through video streams or point cloud sensor displays in a more immersive and intuitive manner than traditional 2D displays [10,82]. In addition, VR systems may enable users to exert more fine-grained control over teleoperated robots, including unmanned aerial and nautical vehicles, by leveraging related technologies such as head tracking, haptic controllers, and tactile gloves [37].…”