Teleoperation (i.e., operating a machine from a distance outside the operator’s line of sight) is an emerging technology in construction that has many potential benefits, such as increasing workplace safety and engaging a more diverse workforce. Teleoperation will require new skills for construction workers, especially regarding the use of computers and more complex interfaces to control the machines. Moreover, given that construction workers spend almost no time in front of a computer in traditional construction settings, impacts on physical and cognitive well-being must be considered when teleoperation is implemented. This project aims to support this emerging technology by focusing on what sensory information is required for teleoperated demolition work in construction and by developing a validated worker-centric workstation by examining how sensory features should be modified to promote effective, safe, and healthy work environments for different tasks and diverse workers (e.g., female workers, differently abled workers, older workers). A primary intellectual contribution of the project will be a stakeholder-engagement methodology for developing or selecting technology that will improve upon the current practice of adopting new technology out of hand until there is a problem or accident.
Journal Articles
Rodrigues, P. B., Lucas, G. M., Fang, Y., Wang, Z., Roll, S. C., Becerik-Gerber, B., & Soibelman, L. (2025). Understanding operators’ sensory needs for human–robot interaction in teleoperated demolition. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 151(12), 04025207. https://doi.org/10.1061/jcemd4.coeng-16911 Show abstract
Despite the benefits of remotely operated compact demolition machines in constrained and hazardous environments, many safety and occupational risks remain. Operators often stay close to the machines, exposing themselves to the risks of structural collapses, falling debris, dust, and noise. In this study, we employed a generative user experience (UX) framework with six demolition industry professionals to inform the design considerations for a sensory-enhanced teleoperation interface for demolition robots. Through narrative interviews and focus groups, we identified demolition operators’ sensory needs during traditional demolition tasks involving manned and remotely operated machines and explored potential sensory features for a teleoperation interface for demolition robots. To increase the trustworthiness of the findings, we subsequently conducted a verification strategy where over 60 demolition stakeholders tested and provided feedback on the proposed teleoperation interface features within a virtual environment. Findings indicate that demolition operators use multiple sensory channels to perceive and interact with the environment during traditional demolition tasks. However, certain site conditions (e.g., noise, constrained spaces, clutter) still compromise their performance, safety, and well-being. Multimodal, simple, safe, and personalizable teleoperation interfaces that provide appropriate levels of control over the robots are preferred. Key suggestions included improvements in the robot’s controllers and the inclusion of mechanisms to facilitate communications with on-site workers and the perception of hazards. The findings inform the design considerations for a sensory-enhanced teleoperation interface for compact demolition robots. Additionally, the proposed generative UX framework can be applied to other construction applications to facilitate identifying operators’ needs and designing teleoperation interfaces
Conference Presentations/Proceedings
Wang, Z., Rodrigues, P. B., Fang, Y., Soibelman, L., Becerik-Gerber, B., Lucas, G. M., & Roll, S. C. (2026). Design of a sensory-enhanced workstation prototype with a multimodal interface for teleoperated demolition. In Construction Research Congress 2026 (pp. 130-140). American Society of Civil Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784486979.013 Show abstract
Demolition is among the most complex and hazardous sectors of construction, where workers need to work in rapidly changing and cluttered environments. Teleoperation offers a promising approach to reducing operators’ exposure to on-site hazards by enabling remote control of demolition robots, yet existing interfaces are often insufficiently grounded in operators’ needs or validated through real-world testing. This paper presents a sensory-enhanced teleoperation workstation prototype that operationalizes operators’ sensory needs identified in prior studies. The prototype translates these needs into multimodal sensing channels, associated data-flow structures, and corresponding workstation features. It provides a platform for subsequent studies to understand how operators engage with sensory information in real-world scenarios. The prototype also holds the potential to inform operator training and teleoperation research for other demolition machines and related contexts.
Rodrigues, P. B., Wang, Z., Fang, Y., Lucas, G., Roll, S., Becerik-Gerber, B., & Soibelman, L. (2026). Teleoperation interfaces for compact demolition robots: Results of a pilot study with construction workers. In Proceedings of the European Conference on Computing in Construction. Europen Council for Computing in Construction. https://doi.org/10.35490/EC3.2026.422 Show abstract
As teleoperated robots become more common on construction sites, human-robot interfaces must better support operators’ sensory needs. This paper presents results from a pilot study comparing a proposed sensory-enhanced teleoperation interface for compact demolition robots with a standard teleoperation interface. Recommendations from demolition stakeholders informed the design of the sensory-enhanced interface, while the standard interface was based on commercially available teleoperated construction equipment. The goal of this study was to refine the sensory-enhanced interface based on user feedback. Ten construction workers tested the interfaces, and we measured their perceived usability, telepresence, and trust in technology.
Wang, Z., Rodrigues, P. B., Fang, Y., Soibelman, L., Becerik-Gerber, B., Roll, S. C., & Lucas, G. M. (2025). Understanding potential challenges in demolition robot teleoperation to inform interface design: Insights from industry professionals. CIB Conferences, 1, 106. https://doi.org/10.7771/3067-4883.2040 Show abstract
Teleoperation is receiving intense attention due to its potential to address health and safety concerns for construction workers caused by on-site hazards. It allows operators to control robots from a distance outside their field of view using wireless communication technologies. Currently one of the most frequently deployed robotic technologies in construction is the remotely operated demolition robot within the field of view. While distance teleoperation offers great potential for enhancing worker safety and addressing labor shortages, the complex and dynamic demolition sites present unique challenges. This paper introduces the preliminary results of a study that explored potential challenges in demolition robot teleoperation, informed by the challenges identified in traditional demolition machine operations and the key concerns raised by industry professionals. A user-centered approach was employed through narrative interviews and focus groups with demolition professionals. The findings indicate that the challenges faced in traditional demolition machine operations may persist in teleoperation and could be further exacerbated by the sensory degradation inherent in teleoperation. Besides, the interactions among challenges increase the complexity of their overall impact. Moreover, enhancing operators’ situational awareness without inducing cognitive overload or distraction is critical for effectively addressing these challenges. Additionally, the results suggest the need for context-aware, multimodal teleoperation interfaces to assist operators in managing operational challenges. This study contributes to understanding challenges that operators may face during teleoperation, offering valuable insights for developing teleoperation interfaces adaptable to diverse demolition contexts.
Rodrigues, P. B., Becerik-Gerber, B., Soibelman, L., Lucas, G. M., & Roll, S. C. (2024). Virtual environment for studying the effects of operational and environmental sounds on teleoperated demolition. In Computing in Civil Engineering 2023 (pp. 54–61). Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784485231.007 Show abstract
Teleoperated robots are increasingly being used in construction sites, but there is still a need for better human-robot interfaces. Auditory feedback using sonification has commonly been used to complement visual feedback in teleoperation applications. However, it is not yet well understood how operational and environmental sounds can support operators in complex tasks such as construction machine operations. In this paper, we describe the development of a virtual environment to assess the impacts of operational and environmental sounds on operators’ performances and cognitive loads during teleoperated demolition. Our goal is to examine whether different levels of operational and environmental sounds can increase the workers’ situation awareness, operational efficiency, and safety performance. Alternatively, we anticipate that some environmental noises may negatively affect the operators’ performances by increasing their mental workload and stress levels. Consequently, we plan to evaluate the effectiveness of including audio filters that minimize unwanted sounds while prioritizing desired sounds.
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