This proposal describes the first phase of a project which will develop an expert system capable of selecting optimal force reflection levels in real-time during teleoperation. There are three goals for Phase I: 1) delineation of task situations in which force-feedback is helpful; 2) development of experimental methods for testing the effect of different feedback levels on rate of learning, asymptotic performance level, ability to transfer training to new tasks, and rate of skill decay; and 3) initiation of pilot experiments to determine the appropriate force reflection levels for more extensive research. Phase I will provide a basis for studying the role of force reflection in complex tasks which demand a variety of manipulative skills, in developing and maintaining operator skill, and the impact of manipulator system characteristics. The proposed project will provide experimental results concerning the impact of force reflection on teleoperation. it will identify which tasks benefit from force reflection, allowing equipment designers to modify equipment to optimize teleoperation. This will lead to better system performance, lower operator fatigue, and safer operation.
