Teleoperation for Data Collection

The choice of teleoperation interface directly affects demonstration data quality, collection throughput, and operator fatigue. Different interfaces suit different tasks — there is no universal best choice.

Interface Comparison

Keyboard/gamepad: lowest cost, very limited for 6-DOF tasks. SpaceMouse: $100–$300, good for single-arm tasks, steep learning curve. VR controllers (Quest, Vive): $300–$1,500, intuitive 6-DOF, slight tracking latency. Leader-follower arms: $5K–$50K, highest data quality, minimal operator training, direct kinematic mapping. Glove-based (VR gloves, force-feedback): emerging, good for dexterous hand teleoperation.

  • Highest data quality: leader-follower arms
  • Best cost-performance: VR controllers
  • Best for dexterous hands: glove-based
  • Lowest barrier to entry: SpaceMouse

SVRC's Recommendation

For ALOHA-style bimanual tasks, leader-follower is the clear winner. For single-arm manipulation with OpenArm, VR controllers offer the best balance. SVRC provides pre-configured teleoperation setups with both leader-follower and VR options.