Mixed-Initiative Dynamic Autonomy Through Variable Levels of Immersion and Control (MIDA-VIC): A New Paradigm for Collaborative Robotic Teleoperation in Space Exploration.

In this position paper, we propose the new control paradigm and conceptual framework MIDA-VIC for collaborative robotic teleoperation in space exploration and beyond. Such teleoperation is a complex and demanding team effort with distributed responsibilities that require both efficient human-robot and human-human collaboration. To address these challenges, we propose a new paradigm of mixed-initiative dynamic autonomy for robotic teleoperation. It exploits recent advances in human-computer interaction (HCI), human-robot interaction (HRI), augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) research. By integrating methods from multiple fields, our paradigm allows human operators to choose their preferred level of immersion, from traditional 2D graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to fully immersive AR/VR environments. It also supports a dynamic adjustment of the level of control, ranging from direct motor commands (eg, using a joystick) to high-level task delegation using AI (eg, instructing the robot via natural language to select a path or explore autonomously). In addition, we propose a mixed-initiative paradigm in which a robot can also take the initiative, request human assistance, and propose the specific level of immersion and control to the human operator that it currently considers useful for effective and efficient collaboration.