A Haptic-Assisted Guidance System for working machines based on virtual force fields

This paper presents a new approach to improve the remote navigation of a teleoperated demolition machine. To improve navigation usability of the teleoperated system the following topics will be covered: obstacle avoidance, wall alignment, and machine optimal positioning for demolition operations. In order to enhance the ability of the operator to navigate in a cluttered environment, a Haptic-Assisted Guidance System(HAGS) will be introduced. HAGS is a guidance system based on haptic simulation which improves the awareness of the operator on the surrounding environment. The solution proposed has been tested using a virtual environment scenario and a commercial Haptic interface, the results have been analyzed and discussed.