  This paper considers the problem of enabling the user to modify the path of a
telepresence robot. The robot is capable of autonomously navigating to a goal
predefined by the user, but the user might still want to modify the path, for
example, to go further away from other people, or to go closer to landmarks she
wants to see on the way. We propose Human-Influenced Dynamic Window Approach
(HI-DWA), a shared control method aimed for telepresence robots based on
Dynamic Window Approach (DWA) that allows the user to influence the control
input given to the robot. To verify the proposed method, we performed a user
study (N=32) in Virtual Reality (VR) to compare HI-DWA with switching between
autonomous navigation and manual control for controlling a simulated
telepresence robot moving in a virtual environment. Results showed that users
reached their goal faster using HI-DWA controller and found it easier to use.
Preference between the two methods was split equally. Qualitative analysis
revealed that a major reason for the participants that preferred switching
between two modes was the feeling of control. We also analyzed the effect of
different input methods, joystick and gesture, on the preference and perceived
workload.
