Prometheus: Universal, Open-Source Mocap-Based Teleoperation System with Force Feedback for Dataset Collection in Robot Learning

This paper presents a novel teleoperation system with force feedback, utilizing consumer-grade HTC Vive Trackers 2.0. The system integrates a custom-built controller, a UR3 robotic arm, and a Robotiq gripper equipped with custom-designed fingers to ensure uniform pressure distribution on an embedded force sensor. Real-time compression force data is transmitted to the controller, enabling operators to perceive the gripping force applied to objects. Experimental results demonstrate that the system enhances task success rates (participants applied 35.77 % less gripping force on average when force feedback was enabled) and provides a low-cost solution for large-scale imitation learning data collection without compromising affordability. All hardware designs, software, and implementation details-including fabrication guidelines, printed circuit board (PCB) specifications, and deployment instructions-are released as open-source at https://github.com/Eterwait/Prometheus.