Robots should offer a human-like level of dexterity when handling objects if humans are to be replaced in dangerous and uncertain working environments. This level of dexterity for human-like manipulation must come from both the hardware, and the control. Exact replication of human-like degrees of freedom in mobility for anthropomorphic robotic hands are seen in bulky, costly, fully actuated solutions, while machine learning to apply some level of human-like dexterity in underacted solutions is unable to be applied to a various array of objects. This thesis presents experimental and theoretical contributions of a novel neuro-fuzzy control method for dextrous human grasping based on grasp synergies using a Human Computer Interface glove and upgraded haptic-enabled anthropomorphic Ring Ada dexterous robotic hand. Experimental results proved the efficiency of the proposed Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems to grasp objects with high levels of accuracy.

Automation of hydraulic earth moving and construction equipment is of prime economic and social importance in today's marketplace. A human operator can be replaced or augmented with a robotic system when the job is too dull, dirty or dangerous. There are a myriad of applications in both Government and Industry that could benefit from augmenting or replacing an operator of hydraulic equipment with an intelligent robotic system. A specific important situation is the removal of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The removal of UXO is a troubling environmental problem that plagues people around the world. This document addresses the danger that UXO pose to military groups in applications such as active range clearance and disposal of unexploded or dud munitions. Disposing of these munitions is a difficult problem, which first begins by determining their location. The process can be aided through the use of teleoperated hydraulic equipment, which allows the operator to be located at a safe distance from these munitions. In the past, converting a large piece of hydraulic construction equipment for teleoperated use has been an expensive task. An important result of this research is demonstrating that through readily available commercial products and existing design methodologies, such robotic tasks can be accomplished at relatively low cost and in a timely, reliable fashion. / Master of Science

Laboratory experimentation plays a critical role in the education of engineers. With the increase of students choosing to obtain their education online through Distance Learning programs, something must be done to allow them to gain practice with experimental techniques. Remote Laboratories (RLs), or laboratory experiments specially constructed for remote use, have the potential to fill this void. In a "traditional" laboratory experiment, students physically interact with an apparatus to obtain experimental data. Remote Laboratories are meant to offer a similar learning experience that is equivalent to, or as close as possible to the physical one, by allowing a user to control the apparatus from a remote location using mechatronic control hardware, integrated with data acquisition software. Studies have shown there is no significant difference with regard to meeting educational outcomes between students who performed an experiment remotely versus those who carried out the same experiment in-person. The focus of this thesis is on the development of a framework for developing and implementing Remote Laboratories. To do this, this research introduces advances in the following areas: a) Identifying the educational differences between traditional and Remote Laboratories. b) Developing a method for comparing student perceptions about RLs and their laboratory reports through surveys and laboratory report grading. c) Creating a standard Information Technology protocol for hosting and conducting remote experiments. d) Investigating alternative uses for RLs. e) Proposing new methods to best mimic the physical interactions of traditional laboratories. f) Creation of functioning Remote Laboratories. g) Analyzing the findings of their use in a classroom setting. A comparison of surveys and laboratory reports between groups that conducted remote experiments and those which conducted traditional experiments over a period of 4 semesters suggest that RLs have the potential to be used to achieve the same educational outcomes as traditional laboratories.

In remote or teleoperational tasks involving humans and robots, various aspects of the remote display system may greatly influence the individual's interactions with the teleoperated entity. This dissertation examined various configurations of display systems on several measures of operator performance, physiological states, and perceptions of the task. Display configurations included altering the camera placement (attached to the robot or placed overhead), screen orientation (horizontal or vertical), and screen size (small or large). Performance was measured in terms of specific task goals, accuracies, strategies, and completion times. Physiological state was assessed through physiological markers of arousal, specifically heart rate and skin conductance. Operator perception of the task was measured with a self-reported perception of workload and frustration. Scale model live simulation was used to create a task driven environment to test the display configurations. Screen size influenced performance on complex tasks in mixed ways. Participants using a small screen exhibited better problem solving strategies in a complex driving task. However, participants using the large screen exhibited better driving precision when the task required continual attention. These findings have value in design decisions for teleoperated interfaces where the advantages and disadvantages of screen size must be considered carefully. Orientation of the visual information seems to have much less impact on the operator than the source of the information, though it was an important factor of the display system when taken together with screen size and camera view. Results show strong influence of camera placement on many of the performance variables. Interestingly, the participants rated a higher frustration in the overhead condition, but not a higher task load, indicating that while they realized that the task was frustrating and perhaps they could have done better, they did not recognize the task as overloading. This was the case even though they took longer to complete the task and experienced more errors related to turning in the overhead camera condition. This finding may indicate a potential danger for systems in which the operator is expected to recognize when he or she is being overloaded. This type of performance decrease due to added frames of reference may be too subtle to register in the operator's self awareness

A interstep between a regular car and a fully self-driving car is a teleoperated car, where the driver controls the car remotely in situations that the self-driving AI isn't equipped to handle. The cognitive load of regular driving is known, and how long it's safe to drive without taking a rest, but it has not been that well explored when it comes to teleoperated driving. This paper examines which screen set-up would be preferable for the operator to use, comparing the cognitive load while using a driving simulator on a conventional computer screen and a head mounted display. The data that was able to be analyzed points to there not being any noticeable difference between the two in terms of cognitive load, but the participants noted the HMD has several advantages over the conventional screen. Despite this, the majority of the participants preferred the conventional screen due to cybersickness and discomfort from the HMD. / Ett mellansteg mellan en vanlig bil och en helt självkörande bil är en fjärrstyrd bil, där föraren fjärrstyr bilen i situationer som den självkörande AIn inte kan klara av. Vi vet hur stor den mentala belastningen är när det gäller vanlig bilkörning, och vi vet hur länge det är säkert att köra utan att behöva ta rast, men när det gäller fjärrstyrda bilar har detta inte undersökts så mycket. Den här rapporten undersöker vilken form av skärm som skulle vara att föredra att använda, genom att jämföra den mentala belastningen mellan en vanlig datorskärm och VR glasögon när man använder en bilsimulator. Resultatet pekar på att det inte var någon märkbar skillnad mellan de två alternativen när det gäller mental belastning, men deltagarna noterade att VR glasögonen hade flera fördelar över den vanliga datorskärmen. Trots detta så föredrog majoriteten av deltagarna att använda den vanliga skärmen då VR glasögonen gav dem åksjuka och var obekväm.

The study aimed to identify and analyse methods for establishing external communication between humans and autonomous/teleoperated machines/vehicles using various Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs). The study was divided into three phases. The purpose of the first phase was to identify and highlight previously tested/researched methods for establishing external communication by conducting a literature review. The findings from the literature review were categorised into six points of interest: machine indications, test delivery methods, HMI technologies/types, symbols, textual/numerical messages, and colours associated with different indications. Based on these findings, four HMIs (projection, display, LED-strip, and auditory) were selected for evaluation in a virtual reality environment for the second phase of the study, which has the purpose of identifying which of the human-machine interfaces can effectively communicate the intentions of autonomous/teleoperated machines to humans. The results of phase two indicate that the participants preferred projection as the most effective individual HMI, and when given the option to combine two HMIs, projection combined with auditory was the most preferred combination. The participants were also asked to pick three HMIs of their choosing, resulting in the projection, display and audible HMI combination being the preferred option. The evaluation of HMIs in a virtual reality environment contributes to improving dependability and identifying usability issues.  The objective of the third and final phase was to gather all the findings from the previous phases and subsequently refine the report until it was considered finalised. Future work includes enhancing the realism of the VR environment, refining machine behaviour and scenarios, enabling multiple participants to simultaneously interact with the environment, and exploring alternative evaluation methods. Addressing these areas will lead to more realistic evaluations and advancements in human-machine interaction research.