Tackling issues endemic to traditional remote rover control systems, such as cognitive workload arising from unfamiliarity with the robot, its characteristics, and its context, this thesis explores the use of a VR headset and immersive simulation to enable robot operators to view the robot being operated in its context. Needs, insights, and solutions were gathered through a study of relevant literature, rover operator interviews and job shadows, and three prototype development and testing sprints. These provide evidence that gestural controls coupled with immersive VR interfaces can improve rover operator’s abilities to establish situational awareness and complete traditionally complex tasks, such as robot arm
repositioning and task switching. This thesis concludes
with six key insights concerning the creation of VR control systems for rover operation: affordance, consistency, communicability, feedback loop, spatial memory, and simulation sickness.