Treffer: Understanding Operators' Sensory Needs for Human–Robot Interaction in Teleoperated Demolition.

Despite the benefits of remotely operated compact demolition machines in constrained and hazardous environments, many safety and occupational risks remain. Operators often stay close to the machines, exposing themselves to the risks of structural collapses, falling debris, dust, and noise. In this study, we employed a generative user experience (UX) framework with six demolition industry professionals to inform the design considerations for a sensory-enhanced teleoperation interface for demolition robots. Through narrative interviews and focus groups, we identified demolition operators' sensory needs during traditional demolition tasks involving manned and remotely operated machines and explored potential sensory features for a teleoperation interface for demolition robots. To increase the trustworthiness of the findings, we subsequently conducted a verification strategy where over 60 demolition stakeholders tested and provided feedback on the proposed teleoperation interface features within a virtual environment. Findings indicate that demolition operators use multiple sensory channels to perceive and interact with the environment during traditional demolition tasks. However, certain site conditions (e.g., noise, constrained spaces, clutter) still compromise their performance, safety, and well-being. Multimodal, simple, safe, and personalizable teleoperation interfaces that provide appropriate levels of control over the robots are preferred. Key suggestions included improvements in the robot's controllers and the inclusion of mechanisms to facilitate communications with on-site workers and the perception of hazards. The findings inform the design considerations for a sensory-enhanced teleoperation interface for compact demolition robots. Additionally, the proposed generative UX framework can be applied to other construction applications to facilitate identifying operators' needs and designing teleoperation interfaces. Practical Applications: The involvement of construction workers in the early design phases of human–robot interfaces in construction applications can lead to better interface designs that provide the necessary information for effective teleoperation. This paper presents the findings from interviews and focus groups with six demolition industry professionals, who identified common challenges and sensory information needs in traditional demolition tasks using manned and remotely operated compact demolition machines. Based on demonstrations using videos, photos, and virtual reality simulations, these professionals suggested features for a teleoperation interface for compact demolition robots, including mechanisms to simplify robot controllers and improve communication with on-site workers. To enhance safety, they proposed alerts for hazards such as nearby workers, equipment, floor holes, and building edges. They also recommended tools to track the robot's arm and outriggers to reduce collisions and ensure stability during robot operations. To strengthen the findings, over 60 additional demolition stakeholders participated in virtual environment testing of proposed teleoperation features, providing further feedback. While this study focuses on teleoperated demolition with compact robots, its methodology can be applied to other construction tasks, and several suggestions, such as hazard detection and object tracking, can benefit existing teleoperation applications in construction and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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