Integration of Augmented Reality and Digital Twins in a Teleoperated Disassembly System

Disassembly, a key step in remanufacturing, is almost always performed manually due to uncertainties associated with end-of-life products. In some cases, such as EV battery disassembly, the operator could be exposed to safety hazards. Teleoperation is an effective solution to this safety issue. This paper proposes a teleoperated disassembly system that integrates augmented reality (AR) and digital twin technology. The system establishes bidirectional human-in-the-loop communication between the physical system (the teleoperated robot) and the virtual model. Using AR, the system can provide real-time robot status information to the operator by superimposing a virtual robot on the physical robot and displaying relevant data either in the form of text or a line chart. Furthermore, the proposed approach allows operators to enter the control loop when anomalies are detected, enabling them to receive real-time feedback while remotely controlling the robot. Experiments have demonstrated the effectiveness of the system in monitoring robot status during complex disassembly and offering a more intuitive approach for remotely controlling the robot, thereby improving the safety and efficiency of disassembly operations.