Chengxu Zhou ¹ Christopher Peers ² Yuhui Wan ² Andromachi Maria Delfaki ¹ Dimitrios Kanoulas ^1*

• ¹ University College London, London, United Kingdom
• ² University of Leeds, Leeds, England, United Kingdom

The sanctity of human life mandates the replacement of individuals with robotic systems in the execution of hazardous tasks. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), a field fraught with mortal danger, stands at the forefront of this transition. In this study, we explore the potential of robotic telepresence as a safeguard for human operatives, drawing on the robust capabilities demonstrated by legged manipulators in diverse operational contexts. The challenge of autonomy in such precarious domains underscores the advantages of teleoperation-a harmonious blend of human intuition and robotic execution. Herein, we introduce a cost-effective telepresence and teleoperation system employing a legged manipulator, which combines a quadruped robot, an integrated manipulative arm, and RGB-D sensory capabilities. Our innovative approach tackles the intricate challenge of whole-body control for a quadrupedal manipulator. The core of our system is an IMU-based motion capture suit, enabling intuitive teleoperation, augmented by immersive visual telepresence via a VR headset. We have empirically validated our integrated system through rigorous real-world applications, focusing on loco-manipulation tasks that necessitate comprehensive robot control and enhanced visual telepresence for EOD operations.