User-centered design and evaluation of smartphone-controls for the movement control of mobile platforms

Abstract

Mobile platforms like mobile robots are becoming more relevant in different domains such as production industry or rescue services. Although these platforms are intended to work autonomously, it is still necessary to interact with them. This research project focuses on the input control for steering mobile robots platform via a smartphone or smart device. Three different types of controls (Virtual Joystick, 4 key directional pad and 8 key directional pad) were developed and evaluated by almost 40 participants in two evaluation rounds. Results indicate that the joystick control was rated as the best input control.