DeMaMech: EU-Japan Collaboration in Higher Education Student Exchange Program

Offer of Research Topic

Offer from	University	Hokkaido University
	Faculty/Department/Institute	Division of Systems Science and Informatics, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology
	Group Name	Digital Systems and Environments
Research Theme		Universal User Interface for Rescue Robots using a Haptic Device
Brief Explanation		This topic will be done as a part of the research project carried out by NPO-International Rescue Systems Institute (IRS: Kobe and Kawasaki, Japan) . (See http://www.rescuesystem.org/tmp/NEW/en/framepage01.htm) IRS has been developing many types of rescue robots and they usually have the complicated user interfaces with which non-expert users cannot operate the robots as they want. In this research topic, universal user interface device is designed and prototyped by using VR interface devices such as PHANToM Omini and a stereo view LCD. The interface will provide the robot operators with viirtual interface images which can be understood intuitively.
Research Steps		1. Literature survey (one month) 2. Understanding and testing the PHANToM API program written in C++ (two month) 3. System design and implementation (one month) 4. Demonstration and evaluation by using rescue robot simulators (one month)
Period		5 months, but can be extended as a 10-month project, by including the evaluation with real rescue robots working in the test field.
Necessary Background, Knowledge, Skills		Fundamental knowledge about 3D modeling. Computer programming skills. If necessary, some references can be specified.
Further Information		http://dse.ssi.ist.hokudai.ac.jp/index-e.html
Contact Person		Prof. Dr. Masahiko Onosato (onosato@ssi.ist.hokudai.ac.jp)