Methods and systems for graphical user interfaces to control remotely located robots

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

• providing, for display on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the computing device, a textured model of a robot indicating a current state of the robot, wherein the computing device is at an operator station and is configured to teleoperate the robot, and wherein the robot is at a robot station;
• receiving an input indicating a target pose of the robot;
• providing, for display on the GUI of the computing device, a transparent representation of the robot as a preview of the target pose in combination with the textured model of the robot indicating the current state of the robot;
• generating a boundary illustration on the GUI having a substantially spherical shape that represents a limit of a range of motion of the robot based on a maximum boundary of movement of the robot, wherein the boundary illustration includes one or more characteristics that visually change as the robot approaches the limit of the range of motion, wherein the one or more characteristics of the boundary illustration includes an opacity having an intensity, and wherein the intensity of the opacity is highest from a point on the boundary illustration located closest to the robot, and the intensity decreases radiating away from the point on the boundary illustration;
• based on the target pose extending the robot beyond the boundary illustration, modifying characteristics of the transparent representation of the robot and of the boundary illustration on the GUI to inform of an invalid pose;
• and
• based on the target pose being a valid pose, sending instructions to the robot causing the robot to perform the target pose.

A system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform functions comprising:
• providing, for display on a graphical user interface (GUI), a textured model of a robot indicating a current state of the robot, wherein the system is at an operator station and is configured to teleoperate the robot, and wherein the robot is at a robot station;
• receiving an input indicating a target pose of the robot;
• providing, for display on the GUI, a transparent representation of the robot as a preview of the target pose in combination with the textured model of the robot indicating the current state of the robot;
• generating a boundary illustration on the GUI having a substantially spherical shape that represents a limit of a range of motion of the robot based on a maximum boundary of movement of the robot, wherein the boundary illustration includes one or more characteristics that visually change as the robot approaches the limit of the range of motion, wherein the one or more characteristics of the boundary illustration includes an opacity having an intensity, and wherein the intensity of the opacity is highest from a point on the boundary illustration located closest to the robot, and the intensity decreases radiating away from the point on the boundary illustration;
• based on the target pose extending the robot beyond the boundary illustration, modifying characteristics of the transparent representation of the robot and of the boundary illustration on the GUI to inform of an invalid pose;
• and
• based on the target pose being a valid pose, sending instructions to the robot causing the robot to perform the target pose.

A method comprising:

• providing, for display on a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computing device, a textured model of a robot indicating a current state of the robot, wherein the GUI is configured to display a conceptual substantially spherical boundary representing a limit of a range of motion of the robot relative to the current state of the robot, wherein the conceptual substantially spherical boundary includes one or more characteristics that visually change as the robot approaches the limit of the range of motion, wherein the conceptual substantially spherical boundary includes an opacity having an intensity, and wherein the intensity of the opacity is highest at a point of the conceptual spherical boundary located closest to the robot and the intensity of the opacity decreases in directions radiating away from the point of the conceptual spherical boundary;
• receiving, at the computing device, an input indicating a test movement of the robot;
• providing, for display on the GUI of the computing device, a trajectory cloud representation of the robot executing the test movement while simultaneously displaying the textured model of the robot indicating the current state of the robot, wherein the trajectory cloud representation is a transparent representation of the robot executing the test movement;
• modifying characteristics of the trajectory cloud representation of the robot in the GUI to inform of collisions of the robot with itself or with an object;
• and
• generating, for display on the GUI, a timeline of the test movement of the robot including indications along the timeline representing instances of the collisions of the robot with itself or with the object during the test movement.