Remote Enhanced Asymmetric Collaboration for Human-Robot Interaction (REACH)

The REACH consortium of industrial and academic XR experts creates and provides a holistic authoring system for the easy creation of multi-user VR/MR applications, which fosters collaboration between real robots and their digital twins. We integrate multimodal interaction like gaze, voice, sound, and visuals for smooth communication with robotic systems and support diverse user roles. Based on contributions and previous work of the consortium, REACH combines MindPort’s VR Builder with VIROO Studio. TH Köln’s experience with the IMPECT toolbox accelerates the creation of immersive learning environments (ILEs). Beyond the state of the art, REACH enables seamless multi-user interactions and advanced HRI methods for creating ILEs with digital twins, incorporating intuitive user-robot communication, supporting asymmetric collaboration in MR, and ensuring scalability through modularity. Designed for industries like manufacturing, education, and healthcare, REACH impacts productivity and creativity in multi-user ILEs by bridging virtual and physical spaces. The support for multimodal human-robot interaction elevates interaction quality and innovation with a versatile tool for developing mixed reality remote collaboration platforms.