Exploring importance of location and prior knowledge of environment on mobile robot control

Advances in technologies to create ever more sophisticated robots is outpacing our understanding of how such robots and humans successfully interact to accomplish specific tasks. In particular, it is now possible for humans to control the navigation of certain classes of robots via the Internet. Yet, we know little about how individual differences variables such as spatial ability and prior knowledge of the navigational space contribute to the success of human-robot interactions. Nor has there been much research on the kinds of interfaces that facilitate effective and efficient interaction, and whether these are differentially effective across the spectrum of spatial ability. In this study, an Internet control mechanism for an RWI B-14 mobile robot called "TourMate" was used to investigate the differences and similarities in how humans teleoperated the robot from two locations (intermediate and remote). Thirty-two participants who were assessed on spatial ability and prior knowledge of the space in which the robot was being controlled directed the robot in simple spatial navigation tasks. Time to complete the task, number of steps, and errors were collected. Results indicated that spatial ability and location, but not prior knowledge, were reliable predictor of efficiency of robot teleoperation. Information was also obtained about the utility of various features of the interface and suggested that individual difference characteristics of robot operators are related to the utility of different interface features. Implications for 'design of human-robot interaction systems are discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.