Teleoperation

Virtual Fixture

A virtual fixture is a software-defined constraint overlaid on a teleoperated or shared-control robot that guides the operator's motion, either blocking entry into a region (forbidden-region fixture) or attracting motion along a path or surface (guidance fixture), often rendered haptically. Introduced by Rosenberg in the early 1990s, virtual fixtures are widely used in surgical robotics and precision teleoperation.

Why it matters for physical AI

Blending human intent with machine-enforced constraints raises teleoperation precision and safety, and the same shared-autonomy machinery underlies systems where a learned policy and a human operator control a robot together.