Teleoperation systems are designed to allow their user(s) to perform manipulation tasks in a remote environment, usually in real-time. Application fields range from teleoperated micro-assembly, over minimally-invasive surgery, to large-scale assembly of heavy parts. Human work performance with modern teleoperation systems is hampered by two issues in particular: poor movement accuracy and excessive force application, both of which frequently result in handling errors, damage to equipment and slow work performance. Haptic interfaces, which transmit tactile information to the user of these systems, promise to address these problems. Is it sensible to exploit the sense of touch in the design of human-machine interfaces? This question seems certainly justified, considering that the development and construction of haptic interfaces usually translate into additional financial expenses, which cannot necessarily be recovered through higher retail or service prices. For industries employing teleoperated systems, it is therefore paramount to establish (1) whether haptic interfaces yield measurable advantages over conventional visual interfaces and, if they do, (2) how they are effectively designed and employed to optimise work performance. Yet, systematic, scientific investigations regarding tangible benefits of haptic interfaces for teleoperation systems are scarce, as current efforts are constrained by an atheoretical, fragmented and biased evidence base. As a result, transparent guidelines, which could advise system developers on the best use of haptic signals in teleoperation systems, are still lacking. \r\nThe present work closely examines the principles of human-machine interaction with haptic interfaces, discusses previous research efforts and presents new evidence. Furthermore, a synthesis of empirical evidence is presented from which transparent guidelines for the design and effective use of haptic interfaces are derived. These are combined with previously established guidelines on the design of multi-modal interfaces in form of an interactive software package, the “HMI (Human-Machine Interface) Design Guide”. It is hoped that accessible and transparent interface design guidelines will encourage system developers to take more notice of basic principles of haptic human-machine interaction during the design and development process and thus promote interdisciplinary work in this field.    «

Teleoperation systems are designed to allow their user(s) to perform manipulation tasks in a remote environment, usually in real-time. Application fields range from teleoperated micro-assembly, over minimally-invasive surgery, to large-scale assembly of heavy parts. Human work performance with modern teleoperation systems is hampered by two issues in particular: poor movement accuracy and excessive force application, both of which frequently result in handling errors, damage to equipment and slo...    »