Comparative Studies on Navigation Performance using Haptic and Visual Feedback for Teleoperated Vehicles

Teleoperating mobile robots is pivotal for tackling missions in hazardous or inaccessible environments, safeguarding human operators. Teleoperating robots in hazardous environments can benefit from haptic feedback. This study investigates the influence of haptic feedback in suboptimal visual conditions, akin to real-world scenarios where visual feedback may be compromised. Participants control a UGV using haptic devices through four different sensory feedback conditions, ranging from ideal visual and haptic feedback to degraded visual feedback with no force feedback. Contrary to expectations, the study reveals that while full visual feedback enhances navigation performance, the presence of haptic feedback often leads to worsened performance, especially in situations with impaired visual feedback. Participants tend to spend more time navigating inefficiently with haptic feedback, suggesting overcompensation due to heightened control perception. Despite these performance changes, perceived workload remains relatively unaffected. The study emphasizes the intricate interplay between visual and haptic feedback in teleoperation. It highlights the necessity for further research to comprehensively grasp the effects of these feedback modalities in real-world scenarios, where conditions are far from perfect and dynamically changing.