iPhone interface for wireless control of a robot

The described project is an iPhone application to control a robot using the accelerometer and the touch screen of the mobile device. The iPhone and the robot are connected over WiFi. The application interface displays full screen real time images coming from the robot vision system, allowing remote driving of the robot. We implemented 2 different driving modes and interactions: the first one fully exploits the accelerometer to move the robot forward and backward and to change direction, the second one uses the interface buttons for forward and backward movements, while the accelerometer is used only to change direction. In both driving modes there is the possibility to control the robot's mechanical arm to take and release an object through two touchscreen buttons. We carried on several user tests in order to validate and enhance our design. In fact, based on the test results, we could improve the interface as well as the driving experience (e.g. we could tune the correct power to drive the gearmotors of the robot as a function of the device inclination and the pressing duration of the interface controls). Users that tested the final version could smoothly drive the robot along a route with obstacles. © 2012 Authors.