Extended Reality and AI Empowered Robots

A special issue of Robotics (ISSN 2218-6581). This special issue belongs to the section "AI in Robotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2025 | Viewed by 1200

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
Interests: Immersive technologies; 3D visualization; photo-based VR, XR interfaces for telepresence; teleoperation and command and control.
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy
Interests: control and navigation of autonomous robots; aerial and ground robots cooperation; artificial intelligence for autonomous navigation in challenging environments
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, there have been notable advancements in immersive technologies, thus broadening the audience and number of applications within the extended reality (XR) domain. This includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), with these technologies demonstrating their exceptional capabilities in supporting telepresence and robot teleoperation.

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence methods, including machine learning and deep learning, have advanced significantly and have become more reliable and exploitable for integrated application in extended reality systems.

Today, the adoption of XR and AI technologies significantly contributes to empowering the application of robotics, enhancing users’ performance, and supporting visualization aspects and the decision-making process in tasks such as tele-observation and teleoperation.

In this Special Issue, we welcome the submission of contributions that describe novel approaches to the use of extended reality and artificial intelligence in tasks that empower robots and their applications.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • VR/AR/MR for robotic teleoperation;
  • Immersive telepresence and systems;
  • User interfaces for remote monitoring and intervention;
  • 3D Vision and true-dimensional visualization;
  • Immersive human–machine interaction;
  • Immersive robot navigation and tele-control;
  • Medical robotics and VR/AR applications in healthcare
  • VR/AR and 3D vision for remote surgery and medical intervention
  • Image analysis for teleoperation
  • AI-assisted tele-control
  • AI-enhanced sensor data for teleoperation
  • Creative XR and robotics

Dr. Salvatore Livatino
Dr. Dario Calogero Guastella
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Robotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • extended reality
  • virtual reality
  • augmented reality
  • mixed reality
  • immersive systems
  • artificial intelligence
  • machine learning
  • deep learning
  • robotics
  • telerobotics
  • teleoperation
  • telepresence
  • creative robotics
  • cogntive robotics
  • medical robotics
  • human–machine interaction
  • user interfaces
  • remote visualization
  • 3D vision
  • 3D visualization

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 17808 KiB  
Article
Virtual Hand Deformation-Based Pseudo-Haptic Feedback for Enhanced Force Perception and Task Performance in Physically Constrained Teleoperation
by Kento Yamamoto, Yaonan Zhu, Tadayoshi Aoyama and Yasuhisa Hasegawa
Robotics 2024, 13(10), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics13100143 - 24 Sep 2024
Viewed by 860
Abstract
Force-feedback devices enhance task performance in most robot teleoperations. However, their increased size with additional degrees of freedom can limit the robot’s applicability. To address this, an interface that visually presents force feedback is proposed, eliminating the need for bulky physical devices. Our [...] Read more.
Force-feedback devices enhance task performance in most robot teleoperations. However, their increased size with additional degrees of freedom can limit the robot’s applicability. To address this, an interface that visually presents force feedback is proposed, eliminating the need for bulky physical devices. Our telepresence system renders robotic hands transparent in the camera image while displaying virtual hands. The forces applied to the robot deform these virtual hands. The deformation creates an illusion that the operator’s hands are deforming, thus providing pseudo-haptic feedback. We conducted a weight comparison experiment in a virtual reality environment to evaluate force sensitivity. In addition, we conducted an object touch experiment to assess the speed of contact detection in a robot teleoperation setting. The results demonstrate that our method significantly surpasses conventional pseudo-haptic feedback in conveying force differences. Operators detected object touch 24.7% faster using virtual hand deformation compared to conditions without feedback. This matches the response times of physical force-feedback devices. This interface not only increases the operator’s force sensitivity but also matches the performance of conventional force-feedback devices without physically constraining the operator. Therefore, the interface enhances both task performance and the experience of teleoperation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extended Reality and AI Empowered Robots)
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