Commanding Planetary Robots with Spatial Intent: A Handheld Interface for Astronaut Operations on Planetary Surfaces

Kurzfassung

Future Lunar exploration will rely on efficient astronaut-robot collaboration during \acf*{EVA}. To address the limitations of existing commanding approaches under \acs*{EVA} constraints, such as reduced dexterity, limited situational awareness, and strict time budgets, we present a \acl*{HHD} that enables intuitive, multi-modal interaction with robotic assets on planetary surfaces. The device integrates compact hardware, ergonomic design for gloved operation, and a user interface that combines task guidance, map visualization, and contextual commanding with status feedback. A first human-in-the-loop study with nine participants demonstrated that while overall workload moderately increased, frustration was reduced and perceived interaction quality improved. Participants highlighted the intuitive point-and-click mechanism and valued the direct commanding the rover while maintaining situational awareness. These findings indicate that handheld solutions can strengthen astronaut trust and efficiency in Lunar surface operations.