Head-mounted display based teleoperation of a humanoid robot surrogate for users with life-limiting illnesses

Mackey, Bethany

Abstract

Individuals with life-limiting illnesses are at an increased risk of social isolation, and this became particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social robots are often used to provide companionship, but are rarely used to facilitate social interaction between users and their loved ones.

This work aimed to design and develop a teleoperation system which combined a head-mounted display based virtual reality system with a humanoid robot surrogate. The goal for this research was to allow users to navigate in a remote location and interact with others within that environment. Furthermore, the developed system, by choosing hardware proven to facilitate this, aimed to produce feelings of place and social presence in order to tackle social isolation and improve quality of life.

The development of this system followed a user-centered design protocol, and allowed for the identification of user requirements prior to development. The system was then evaluated using user studies, a case study, and focus groups to ensure the collection of in-depth qualitative data, as well as quantitative findings. This work has provided a proof of concept for a head-mounted display based teleoperation system for a humanoid robot surrogate, with a focus on users with life-limiting illnesses. Additionally, the case study involved deployment of the teleoperation system in a potential end user's home, which is a novel contribution to the field.

The developed system has shown to be well received by the intended users and their primary interactants - their loved ones - and has shown a trend towards being able to produce feelings of place and social presence. Furthermore, a list of suggested user requirements has been formulated to assist future researchers in designing similar systems.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jun 19, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 3, 2025
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/14581810
• Award Date: Jul 3, 2025