Abstract:
Researchers recognize the enormous potential of social robots in educational applications, offering cognitive outcomes comparable to those achieved with human involvement. Remotely controlling social robots to interact with students and peers immersively opens new possibilities for both instructors and learners. These immersive approaches can enhance engagement and positively impact remote lesson delivery and participation. However, the performance and power consumption of the devices involved are often overlooked, despite their importance for sustainability.
This research contributes in two main areas. First, it presents telepresence solutions for the location-independent operation of a social robot using (a) a virtual reality headset with controllers and (b) a mobile augmented reality application. Second, it thoroughly analyzes the power consumption and system performance of these technologies, discussing the implications of their use.
Using the QTrobot as a platform, the research demonstrates direct and immersive control through various interaction modes, including motion, emotion, and voice output. By evaluating the cumulative energy consumption of an unaltered robot performing remote tasks, rather than focusing on individual subsystems or motor chains, the research provides valuable insights into the actual cost of deploying immersive robotic telepresence solutions.
Reference:
Botev, J.; Rodríguez Lera, F.J. Immersive Robotic Telepresence for Remote Educational Scenarios. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4717. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094717