Intuitive and Interactive Robotic Avatar System for Tele-Existence

Team SNU in the ANA Avatar XPRIZE Finals

Bibliographic Data

ID21199682
AuthorsBeomyeong Park (0000-0002-1836-3024, Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition), Donghyeon Kim (0000-0002-9549-8758, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Daegyu Lim (0000-0002-0012-1799, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Suhan Park (0000-0001-6094-0908, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Junewhee Ahn (0000-0003-3454-1940, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Seungyeon Kim (0000-0001-6708-5684, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Jaeyong Shin (0000-0002-2955-6382, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Eunho Sung (0000-0002-1080-3531, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Jaehoon Sim (0000-0002-0095-5953, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Junhyung Kim (0000-0001-7123-9535, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Myeong-Ju Kim (Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Junhyeok Cha (0009-0009-4679-6407, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Gyeongjae Park (0000-0001-6429-1036, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Hokyun Lee (0009-0007-4502-0645, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Seungbin You, Seung-Bin You (0000-0002-0338-819X, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Keunwoo Jang (0000-0002-3095-5161, Korea Institute of Science and Technology), Seung-Hun Kim (0000-0002-6699-2909, Seoul National University of Science and Technology), Mathew Schwartz (0000-0003-3662-7203, New Jersey Institute of Technology), Jaeheung Park (0000-0002-5062-8264, Seoul National University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume17
Issue3
Pages379-407
Publication date2025-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Social Robotics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1875-4791 • E-ISSN: 1875-4805
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12369-024-01152-y
OpenAlexW4400117162
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited66

Avatar robots enable the teleoperation and telepresence of an operator with a rich and meaningful sense of existence in another location. Robotic avatar systems rely on intuitive interactions to afford operators comfortable and accurate robot control to perform various tasks. The ability of operators to feel immersed within a robot has drawn interest in multiple research fields to explore the future capabilities of such systems. This paper presents a robotic avatar system based on a custom humanoid robot, TOCABI, with a mobile base. Its teleoperation system was developed in response to the ANA Avatar XPRIZE. Combining the life-size humanoid robot and the mobile base allows for improved mobility and dexterous manipulation. The robotic avatar system comprises the robot/base and an operator station that incorporates haptic feedback devices, trackers, a head-mounted display, gloves, and pedals. These devices connect the robot-environment interaction and operator-avatar robot experience through visual, auditory, tactile, haptic, and kinesthetic feedback. Combining the untethered battery-operated and Wi-Fi-enabled robot with these sensory experiences enables intuitive control through the operator’s body movement. The performance of the robotic avatar system was evaluated through user studies and demonstrated in the ANA Avatar XPRIZE Finals, represented by Team SNU, where it completed 8 of the 10 missions, placing the team eighth among the 17 finalists

Avatar · Computer vision · Haptic technology · Human–computer interaction · Humanoid robot · Mobile robot · Robot · Robot control · Simulation · Social robot · Teleoperation · Telerobotics · Computer Science · Robot Manipulation and Learning · Social Robot Interaction and HRI · Teleoperation and Haptic Systems · Artificial Intelligence

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