A Time-based Strategy for the Transition of Control in Telepresence Robots

Nowadays, coordinated switching between autonomous and manual operation, according to the demands of the operator and the task, has become a common type of control approach to compensate for the limitations of autonomous systems. This control mode switching, known also as "Transition of Control", is usually referred to the transition from autonomous to manual operation and it could have negative effects on the operator or its surroundings depending on the strategies used. In autonomous cars, an unsuccessful takeover command can potentially risk the safety of the drivers and pedestrians. Remote operators of telepresence robots may not be exposed to such risks, but they are not exempt from the negative effects of the transition, especially when the operator is involved in another activity before taking control of the system. This paper reports the design of an interface for a dual control mode telepresence system, explores the factors implied when switching the operation mode, and finally proposes a time-based strategy for the transition of control from autonomous to manual control.