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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Robot. AI
Sec. Industrial Robotics and Automation
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/frobt.2024.1504317

From Construction Machines to Remote Construction Robots: Control, Interfaces and Usability of the Cranebot

Provisionally accepted
Alessandra Duz Alessandra Duz 1Francesca Negrello Francesca Negrello 1*Alexandr Rucodainii Alexandr Rucodainii 2Daniel Lanzoni Daniel Lanzoni 1,3Mario Corsanici Mario Corsanici 4Angelo Iapichino Angelo Iapichino 4Andrea Vitali Andrea Vitali 3Daniele Regazzoni Daniele Regazzoni 3Valentino Birolini Valentino Birolini 2Roberto Signori Roberto Signori 2Rossano Ceresoli Rossano Ceresoli 2Giorgio Grioli Giorgio Grioli 5Antonio Bicchi Antonio Bicchi 5Manuel G Catalano Manuel G Catalano 1,3
  • 1 Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genova, Italy
  • 2 Fassi Innovation Center, Nembro, Italy
  • 3 University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy
  • 4 Consorzio Intellimech, Bergamo, Italy
  • 5 University of Pisa, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Construction machines, as for example cranes, excavators or bulldozers, are widely diffused systems operating outdoors in harsh and dangerous environments, such as building sites, forests and mines. Typically, construction machines require the on-site presence of high skilled users to manage the complexity of their control and the high power of hydraulic actuation.Construction machines could benefit from recent developments of robot avatar technology that has demonstrated the viability of remotizing human physical activities, leveraging on intuitive interfaces and controls. Similar approaches could, as well, improve the overall usability of construction machines, making them safer and accessible for untrained users.With this in mind, we developed a novel system for the remote control of cranes, through intuitive and immersive interfaces. To validate the solution we evaluated the experience of about 80 untrained users that remotely operated a crane during the 33rd Edition of Bauma, the world leading fair for construction machines.

    Keywords: Construction Robotics, remote control, Intuitive interfaces, usability, Hydraulic systems

    Received: 30 Sep 2024; Accepted: 21 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Duz, Negrello, Rucodainii, Lanzoni, Corsanici, Iapichino, Vitali, Regazzoni, Birolini, Signori, Ceresoli, Grioli, Bicchi and Catalano. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Francesca Negrello, Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genova, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.