The performance of interfaces is affected by human factors, which vary from one person to another, and by the inherent characteristics of the various devices involved. A set of techniques has been studied in order to improve the efficiency and efficacy of input interface devices. These techniques are based on the modification of the motor scaling factor, a transformation similar to the known Control-Display ratio (CD ratio). Operation time, the accuracy of the task and user workload are the indicators used in this work. By means of models based on the various human motor behaviors, the improvement of such indicators has been demonstrated. Using some common input interface devices, a number of experiments have been carried out to evaluate the presented methodology. The results show that the overall performance of input interfaces is significantly improved by applying such methodology.

Teleoperation, by adequately adapting computer interfaces, can benefit from the knowledge on human factors and psychomotor models in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the execution of a task. While scaling is one of the performances frequently used in teleoperation tasks that require high precision, such as surgery, this article presents a scaling method that considers the system dynamics as well. The proposed dynamic scaling factor depends on the apparent position and velocity of the robot and targets. Such scaling improves the performance of teleoperation interfaces, thereby reducing user's workload.

This paper presents a study on how the application of scaling techniques to an interface affects its performance. A progressive scaling factor based on the position and velocity of the cursor and the targets improves the efficiency of an interface, thereby reducing the user's workload. The study uses several human-motor models to interpret human intention and thus contribute to defining and adapting the scaling parameters to the execution of the task. Two techniques addressed to vary the control-display ratio are compared, and a new method for aiding in the task of steering is proposed.

Teleoperation is essential for applications in which, despite the availability of a precise geometrical definition of the working area, a task cannot be explicitly programmed. This paper describes a method of assisted teleoperation that improves the execution of such tasks in terms of ergonomics, precision, and reduction of execution time. The relationships between the operating spaces corresponding to the human-robot interface triangle are analyzed. The proposed teleoperation aid is based on applying adaptive transformations between these spaces.

This paper presents a manipulation and measurement aid for tasks carried out in micro-nano environments operating with scanning AFM. In teleoperated manipulation or measurement over a given point of the target, where a slow and precise movement is necessary, the developed system increases the accuracy in this point producing a space deformation. In automatic scanning, the adjusted selection of the target, through assisted image segmentation, enables to reduce the working time.

Teleoperation solves several difficulties that current robots can not overcome. The intervention of a human operator in deciding the strategies required to perform some given tasks allows robots to carry out operations in dangerous environments or in areas inaccessible to humans. Despite such task becomes feasible, it is necessary to use methods that assist the operator in its manipulation. This paper describes a method for assisting teleoperation, which is based on the dynamic variation of the scale of the working space to improve the movement precision near the point of interest.

Teleoperation makes possible the execution of many tasks, that otherwise are not feasible when a human operator can not access to the working area due to dangerousness or environmental conditions, and it is not possible as well, to program the task so as to be performed autonomously, due to its complexity. Nevertheless, manipulation tasks require certain ability from the human operator due to the difficulties that produce the need to operate through control devices that does not fit with the structure of the slave arms. With the aim of increasing the precision capabilities provided by such control interfaces, a vision based procedure designed to deform the space around the working point has been developed. The vision system operates from the detection of the relevant scene elements. This space deformation produces automatically a progressive increase in precision when the robot arm approaches the relevant detected elements.