Teleoperation systems allow an operator to perform complex tasks in a remote environment. Stability of a bilateral teleoperation system is quite sensitive to time delays. One of the methods to guarantee the stability of bilateral telerobotics in the presence of time delays is wave variable control. A review of various applications of wave variable methods in telerobotics has been conducted. An evaluation of different methods proposed to compensate for the intrinsic problems associated with wave variable methods, including position drift, wave reflection and time varying delay, has also been carried out. In addition, different techniques developed to enhance the performance of the wave-based systems are also identified and reviewed. The research gaps in this field are identified and future directions for further research are proposed.