A Novel Training and Collaboration Integrated Framework for Human-Agent Teleoperation.

Journal: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
Published Date:

Abstract

Human operators have the trend of increasing physical and mental workloads when performing teleoperation tasks in uncertain and dynamic environments. In addition, their performances are influenced by subjective factors, potentially leading to operational errors or task failure. Although agent-based methods offer a promising solution to the above problems, the human experience and intelligence are necessary for teleoperation scenarios. In this paper, a truncated quantile critics reinforcement learning-based integrated framework is proposed for human-agent teleoperation that encompasses training, assessment and agent-based arbitration. The proposed framework allows for an expert training agent, a bilateral training and cooperation process to realize the co-optimization of agent and human. It can provide efficient and quantifiable training feedback. Experiments have been conducted to train subjects with the developed algorithm. The performances of human-human and human-agent cooperation modes are also compared. The results have shown that subjects can complete the tasks of reaching and picking and placing with the assistance of an agent in a shorter operational time, with a higher success rate and less workload than human-human cooperation.

Authors

  • Zebin Huang
    Genesky Biotechnologies Inc., Shanghai, China.
  • Ziwei Wang
    School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane Australia.
  • Weibang Bai
    Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, UK.
  • Yanpei Huang
    Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, UK.
  • Lichao Sun
    School of Education, Communication & Society, King's College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK.
  • Bo Xiao
    Department of Urology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
  • Eric M Yeatman
    Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, UK.