Augmented Action-Space Whole-Body Teleoperation of Mobile Manipulation Robots

TLDR:  Novel teleoperation framework beyond end-effector control by enabling multi-contact, whole-body coordination for mobile manipulators. This augmented action-space allows to efficiently execute complex household tasks and collect high-quality demonstration data leveraging the synergy of different parts of the robot's body for future imitation learning.

Abstract

We present a novel approach for whole-body teleoperation of mobile manipulation robots, focusing on complex household tasks that require coordination of arms manipulation and robot-body posture while enabling multiple contact points along the robot’s kinematic chain. Current state-of-the-art methods often overlook the synergy between different parts of the robot’s body, particularly in humanoid robots, as they typically rely on end-effector actions alone. In contrast, we propose a teleoperation framework that supports multi-embodiment and multi-contact teleoperation, allowing for efficient whole-body control that enhances task execution in real-world scenarios and brings robots closer to human-like behaviors. Our augmented action-space compliant teleoperation interface enables users to control the robot and collect high-quality demonstrations for future imitation learning. Preliminary experiments demonstrate promising results, with high success rates in task completion, suggesting the potential of our approach for robust and efficient teleoperation. 

Real Robot Teleoperation Demonstrations