Retrieved from iRobot.com
The ground control station selected is the iRobot uPoint Multi Robot Control System (MRCS), introduced in October 2014. (iRobot, 2014)  The uPoint MRCS consists of an Android based tablet and a radio system.  The system provides a common interface that allows an operator to control all the different iRobot Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs).  With minimum training and the uPoint MRCS an operator can control the 110 First Look, 310 SUGV, 510 Packbot, and the 710 Kobra.  Each of these UGVs were designed for different missions and have a variety of manipulators that can be controlled with the uPoint interface.  “While viewing a live-stream from the robot's front camera, operators can simply drag their finger across the screen to control the robot. The robot's driving as well arm and gripper movements can be manipulated by a simple swipe of the finger.” (Andrews, 2014)  The radio system has the ability to provide a mesh radio solution where multiple UGVs can act as nodes on a network.  As one UGV goes beyond line of sight control, another UGV can serve as a repeater from the radio system.  That allows an operator to effectively extend the range of an UGV.
The uPoint system is an application that runs on an Android tablet.  Its data depiction and presentation is based on the video feed from the UGV.  The screen is divided in three distinct sections: a large video feed, a depiction of the UGV that includes direction arrows for navigation, and a control selection section.  The video feed section also serves as the main navigation interface.  The operator can control movement of the UGV by sliding a finger or stylus on the screen; the speed of the UGV is controlled by the speed of the movement on the screen.  The section that has the depiction of the UGV can provide a 3D model of the UGV, a map of the area that displays the position of the UGV, or a tools menu where the different manipulators can be selected.  The control section of the display allows for the selection of three categories: drive, manipulate, and inspect.  The drive section allows for finite control of the UGV, the manipulate section allows for selection and precision control of the manipulating arm, and the inspect section provides multiple video windows.  The video windows provide wide angle and zoom imagery for detail inspection.  The top section of the screen displays the UGV battery status at all times along with a list of the UGVs in range of the control system.
The presentation strategy of the system has proved to be a success; reporters have been able to control UGVs within minutes of utilizing the tablet.  “I was able to drag my finger on the screen to where I wanted the Packbot robot to go, see a yellow predictive path on screen and then watch the robot drive along it. I tapped an onscreen button to change speeds (it could go quite fast), and when I wanted to pick up a bottle, was able to virtually grab the arm and move it into position, while the robot mimicked my actions in the real world. It was all so obvious and easy.” (Ulanoff, 2014)  Although there are few details on the tablet hardware, it can be assumed that the tablet is ruggedized for field operations.  The robot mesh radio system is carried in a backpack that for quick deployment.  A challenge for the user would be operation of the tablet in high sunlight situations. Adapting a cover or pairing the tablet with smart glass technology such as Microsoft’s Hololens can alleviate this.

References

Andrews, M. (2014, October 9). Irobot Introduces Upoint, A Tablet-Based Control Platform For Military Robots. Retrieved February 21, 2015, from SimpleBotics.com: http://www.simplebotics.com/2014/10/irobot-makes-controlling-military.html
iRobot. (2014, October 9). iRobot Unveils Its First Multi-Robot Tablet Controller for First Responders, Defense Forces and Industrial Customers. Retrieved February 21, 2015, from iRobot: http://media.irobot.com/2014-10-09-iRobot-Unveils-Its-First-Multi-Robot-Tablet-Controller-for-First-Responders-Defense-Forces-and-Industrial-Customers

Ulanoff, L. (2014, October 9). iRobot uPoint Turns Military Robot Control Into Tablet Play. Retrieved February 21, 2015, from Mashable.com: http://mashable.com/2014/10/09/irobot-upoint-tablet-play/