Analysis of human-machine interface of a multi-modal handheld device
With the inclusion of robots on the industry floor, workers are forced to be more aware of their movement while working so they can avoid collisions, make small repairs when needed and improve functionality. Till date, the control over industrial robots is done using a regular computer system - m...
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Format: | Theses and Dissertations |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2017
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10356/72703 |
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Institution: | Nanyang Technological University |
Language: | English |
Summary: | With the inclusion of robots on the industry floor, workers are forced to be more
aware of their movement while working so they can avoid collisions, make small
repairs when needed and improve functionality. Till date, the control over industrial
robots is done using a regular computer system - monitor, keyboard and mouse or a
facsimile of one like a touchpad for stationary robots. This doesn't allow workers
much flexibility and freedom of movement. To allow workers freer movement and
the ability to use a single device to control multiple robots, a multi-modal handheld
device was designed. To provide the user with real time instructions and feedback,
the device is also connected to augmented reality goggles.
The objective of this project is to test the usability of the system consisting of ARgoggles,
the handheld device and a robot intended for industrial use. The user wears
the goggles and uses the handheld device to remotely control the robot's
movements. Using a test pool of Mechanical engineers who are representative of
the final users, a user evaluation was conducted, followed by semi-structured
interviews. Before the actual usability test, a pilot test with 3 users was conducted
where they performed the task and gave feedback through interviews. The test
began with a demo, followed by having the users complete a navigation task. Once
the usability test was done, the users were given an online questionnaire to fill and
the system was evaluated. The number of participants for the test is 20.
The results of the study varied depending on the method of data collection due to
the amount of response time each respondent was given per method. As a majority,
the respondents were hesitant to shift to a new method of control that has a lot of
information input. However, 35% were open to the design, provided they had
enough training and time was given to gain expertise. The statistics obtained from
the tests conducted showed such a trend among users and it can be shown that
increased familiarity increases comfort. The report includes the evaluation forms
created, transcripts of interviews and a summary of the potential areas for
improvement and recommendations for the same. |
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