Evaluation of new user interface features for the MANUS robot arm

New user interface features and a new user interface for the MANUS robot arm, were designed in order to reduce the high cognitive and physical load that users experience when controlling the MANUS. These interface features, and the new interface, were evaluated for their performance. The following results were obtained. A new method of switching between control modes proved to be a significant improvement. However, the introduction of a new control mode, called pilot control mode, increased the cognitive and physical load of the MANUS users. The users were content with the new interface and with the extra functionalities that were added in this interface, such as the collaborative controller, with which some degrees of freedom of the MANUS can be controlled automatically, and with an alternative centre of rotation of the gripper that allows for new movements of the gripper.