Robot control, training and collaboration in an immersive virtual reality environment

1. A method for programming a robot comprising:

creating an immersive virtual environment (IVE) using a virtual reality system (VRS);

receiving, by the VRS, parameters corresponding to a real-world robot;

creating, by the VRS within said IVE, a virtual robot, wherein the virtual robot is a simulation of the real-world robot based on the received parameters;

transmitting, by the VRS, a representation of said IVE to a user;

receiving, by the VRS, input from the user, wherein said VRS is configured to allow the user to interact with the virtual robot using said user input;

providing, by the VRS within said IVE, robot feedback to the user, wherein said robot feedback includes a current state of the virtual robot;

training, in the VRS, the virtual robot in the IVE by the user; and

programming, by the VRS, the real-world robot based on the virtual robot training.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user interaction includes an exocentric perspective, where the user views the virtual robot inside the IVE from a point of view external to the robot.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user interaction includes controlling the real-world robot in real-time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said IVE includes an augmented environment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said IVE includes a virtual reality environment.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual robot is programmed with a series of gestures.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual robot is programmed by using a virtual user interface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual robot is programmed with a series of motions.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the virtual robot replays the series of motions before the series of motions are programmed into the real-world robot.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a plurality of real-world robots are programmed with the series of motions.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said robot feedback is supplied via a virtual information display (VID), wherein the virtual information display is one of: a 2D sprite or a 3D mesh, and the VID is configurable to be textured or shaded.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the VID is configurable to be at least one of: locked to the virtual robot, locked to a view of the user, or locked to an avatar of the user.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IVE includes mixed reality user interfaces (UIs), wherein the UIs are configured to be at least one of: adjusted by the user, locked to an avatar of the user, locked to the virtual robot, or locked to a view of the user.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interacts with the IVE using at least one of: a stereoscopic 3D display, a virtual reality headset, or an augmented reality device.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-world robot includes one of: an industrial robot, a domestic robot, an articulated welding robot, an autonomous robot, a military robot, or a medical robot.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-world robot is one of: remotely operated a distance from the user, located in a hazardous environment, or dangerous for the user to be in close proximity.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising switching said VRS between an egocentric perspective, wherein the user operates the virtual robot from a point of view of the robot, and wherein a robot's end effector directly follows a motion of a hand of the user, and an exocentric perspective, wherein the user views the virtual robot inside the IVE from a point of view external to the robot.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein in said egocentric perspective, an image of an arm of the robot is overlaid where an arm of the user would be in real life.

19. A programming system comprising:

a dexterous machine with at least one articulating arm;

a processor operable to perform instructions to:

create an immersive virtual environment (IVE);

receive parameters corresponding to the dexterous machine;

create in said IVE a virtual representation of said dexterous machine based on the parameters;

transmit said IVE to a user;

receive input from the user, wherein said input includes interactions of the user with objects within the IVE;

providing in said IVE, feedback from said dexterous machine, wherein said feedback includes a current state of said dexterous machine; and

transmit programming instructions to said dexterous machine.