Virtual collaborative control to improve intelligent robotic system efficiency and quality

Virtual collaborative environments allow designers to interact over a network to discuss technical issues and solve problems in shared virtual scenes. This paper describes applications of this concept in virtual collaborative engineering (VCE) and virtual collaborative visualization (VCV). It then introduces virtual collaborative control (VCC), a new systems approach that uses virtual collaborative environments to improve equipment utilization in unstructured and dynamic environments. A working VCC system, developed by Sandia National Laboratories and the Pennsylvania State University that extends the techniques of collaborative design and visualization to accomplish collaborative control of robots and machines, is described. New VCC utilization and quality-improving system design principals are proposed. The new principles are verified through a series of pilot tests conducted on four VCC configurations. A factor of two and better utilization improvements and better decision-making quality are achieved. The new VCC capability will enable geographically dispersed experts to participate more fully in custom operations such as in manufacturing, hazardous waste remediation, and space telerobotics