This paper proposes a novel operation for controlling a mobile robot using a head-mounted device. Conventionally, robots are operated using computers or a joystick, which creates limitations in usability and flexibility because control equipment has to be carried by hand. This lack of flexibility may prevent workers from multitasking or carrying objects while operating the robot. To address this limitation, we propose a hands-free method to operate the mobile robot with a human gaze in an Augmented Reality (AR) environment. The proposed work is demonstrated using the HoloLens 2 to control the mobile robot, Robotnik Summit-XL, through the eye-gaze in AR. Stable speed control and navigation of the mobile robot were achieved through admittance control which was calculated using the gaze position. The experiment was conducted to compare the usability between the joystick and the proposed operation, and the results were validated through surveys (i.e., SUS, SEQ). The survey results from the participants after the experiments showed that the wearer of the HoloLens accurately operated the mobile robot in a collaborative manner. The results for both the joystick and the HoloLens were marked as easy to use with above-average usability. This suggests that the HoloLens can be used as a replacement for the joystick to allow hands-free robot operation and has the potential to increase the efficiency of human-robot collaboration in situations when hands-free controls are needed.

翻译：本文提出一种利用头戴式设备控制移动机器人的新型操作方式。传统机器人通过计算机或操纵杆控制，因控制设备需手持操作，导致可用性与灵活性受限。这种局限性可能阻碍工人在操作机器人时开展多任务处理或搬运物品。为解决此问题，我们提出一种免手持方法，通过人类在增强现实环境中的视线控制移动机器人。本研究利用HoloLens 2在增强现实中通过眼动控制Robotnik Summit-XL移动机器人，通过基于视线位置计算的导纳控制实现了移动机器人的稳定速度控制与自主导航。实验对比了操纵杆与所提操作方式的可用性，并通过SUS、SEQ等问卷验证结果。实验后的参与者问卷结果显示，佩戴HoloLens可准确以协作方式操作移动机器人，操纵杆与HoloLens的操作均被评为易于使用且可用性高于平均水平。这表明HoloLens可作为操纵杆的替代方案实现免手持机器人操作，在需要免手持控制的情境下具有提升人机协作效率的潜力。