Robot control
Teleoperation
Definition
Teleoperation is the control of a robot by a human operator from a separate location or interface. The operator supplies commands while feedback, such as camera images or the robot's motion, helps them guide the task.
Also known as: Robot teleoperation
Updated
A person supplies the actions
Teleoperation keeps a person in the control loop. In the ALOHA 2 system, an operator uses a pair of leader arms to guide a pair of follower robot arms through manipulation tasks. The project also provides a simulation model for collecting demonstrations.
The interface and distance can vary. The defining feature is that a person directs the robot's actions through an interface rather than the robot choosing the entire task on its own.
A way to collect training examples
Teleoperation can produce demonstrations for robot learning. ALOHA 2 was designed to improve the hardware and operator experience used for large-scale two-arm data collection. A learned policy can later attempt similar tasks using that data.
Teleoperated and autonomous demonstrations differ
When assessing a robot demonstration, check who supplied the actions. A person successfully controlling a manipulation task demonstrates something different from a robot completing that task with a learned policy. Training from teleoperated examples does not mean a deployed system is always teleoperated.
Sources
Related terms
Robotic manipulation
Robotic manipulation is the use of a robot to change an object's position, orientation, or state through physical interaction. It includes grasping and moving objects as well as actions such as pushing or carrying them without a grasp.
Humanoid robot
A humanoid robot is a robot with a body arranged to resemble the human form, usually with a torso, arms, and legs. The term describes its physical form and does not by itself establish human-level intelligence or general autonomy.