Understanding Operators’ Sensory Needs for Human–Robot Interaction in Teleoperated Demolition

Despite the benefits of remotely operated compact demolition machines in constrained and hazardous environments, many safety and occupational risks remain. Operators often stay close to the machines, exposing themselves to the risks of structural collapses, falling debris, dust, and noise. In this study, we employed a generative user experience (UX) framework with six demolition industry professionals to inform the design considerations for a sensory-enhanced teleoperation interface for demolition robots. Through narrative interviews and focus groups, we identified demolition operators’ sensory needs during traditional demolition tasks involving manned and remotely operated machines and explored potential sensory features for a teleoperation interface for demolition robots. To increase the trustworthiness of the findings, we subsequently conducted a verification strategy where over 60 demolition stakeholders tested and provided feedback on the proposed teleoperation interface features within a virtual environment. Findings indicate that demolition operators use multiple sensory channels to perceive and interact with the environment during traditional demolition tasks. However, certain site conditions (e.g., noise, constrained spaces, clutter) still compromise their performance, safety, and well-being. Multimodal, simple, safe, and personalizable teleoperation interfaces that provide appropriate levels of control over the robots are preferred. Key suggestions included improvements in the robot’s controllers and the inclusion of mechanisms to facilitate communications with on-site workers and the perception of hazards. The findings inform the design considerations for a sensory-enhanced teleoperation interface for compact demolition robots. Additionally, the proposed generative UX framework can be applied to other construction applications to facilitate identifying operators’ needs and designing teleoperation interfaces.