Instructive HMI Approach Based on Augmented Reality for UFactory Lite 6 Robotic Arm Basic Control

Traditionally, robot control is done through fixed workstations or wired communication, which affects system performance and flexibility. This limitation is overcome by augmented reality by offering intuitive and flexible user interfaces that allow controlling and monitoring robots remotely and in real-time, freeing users from physical constraints and facilitating dynamic interaction with robots in various environments and situations. This paper presents the development of a mobile AR system, using Unity and Vuforia to control the UFactory Lite 6 Robotic Arm. Three modules were built i) Overview, ii) Test; and, iii) AR. Two processes were simulated: pick and place and welding, using an API for communication between the cell phone and the robot. HTTP and TCP protocols were used for the connection between the different components. Latency analysis using Wireshark revealed execution times of approximately 6.54 ms and 2.24 ms for the welding and pick and place processes, respectively. Finally, a usability test (SUS) was performed with a group of five people, obtaining a score above 70, indicating that the system is adequate but requires improvement.