Haptic Shared Control for Path Tracking Tasks of Underwater Vehicles

In this study, we investigate the effectiveness of haptic shared control (HSC) for underwater vehicle operation. Underwater vehicles such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles are widely used for underwater maintenance and inspection. In general, ROV operators need sophisticated skills as they have to control the position and orientation of an ROV using only limited information. To improve the path tracking performance of an ROV and support its operators, we propose applying HSC by incorporating haptic feedback in a control device. We conducted a pilot experiment in a water tank using an ROV. Subjects were instructed to operate the ROV from a start line to a goal line along a desired path while watching the video image sent from the ROV camera. They were also instructed to answer questions about the colors of objects on the desired path while controlling the ROV. The results suggested that the HSC decreased their mental workload, and increased their subjective feelings of concentration on the monitor and maneuverability of the ROV while no significant difference was found in the control performance.