Engineering topics

Ruoff, Carl F.

Publications and source records attributed to Ruoff, Carl F..

4 records

NASA NTRS2003

Control in Unmanned NASA Missions

This viewgraph presentation reviews several general aspects of control for NASA space missions. Included in the review are the Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) for both Mars Exploration Rover (MER), and Mars Science Laboratory (MSL); and the control of the MER Rover. Also included is discussion about control issues in relation to formation flying, adaptive optics and precision wavefront control, sensors for environmental control- ENose. Essential developments in the areas of control are important for increase in Autonomy/Automation is essential for deep space manned missions. Other areas of concern are robustness and the need to address life support system control issues.

wavefront control↗

NASA NTRS1990

Multi-fingered robotic hand

A robotic hand is presented having a plurality of fingers, each having a plurality of joints pivotally connected one to the other. Actuators are connected at one end to an actuating and control mechanism mounted remotely from the hand and at the other end to the joints of the fingers for manipulating the fingers and passing externally of the robot manipulating arm in between the hand and the actuating and control mechanism. The fingers include pulleys to route the actuators within the fingers. Cable tension sensing structure mounted on a portion of the hand are disclosed, as is covering of the tip of each finger with a resilient and pliable friction enhancing surface.

Ruoff, Carl F.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Space robotics in the '90s

The use of telerobots and rovers in space missions is examined. The functioning of the telerobots and rovers and their proposed applications are described. Research developments needed to design robots for specific environments and functions are described. Examples of NASA robotics projects are presented.

Ruoff, Carl F.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Space telerobots and planetary rovers

Space telerobots and planetary rovers are advanced forms of space automation that are being studied for missions beginning in the 1990s. This paper describes telerobots and planetary rovers, points out that pure autonomy is far beyond the state of the art, and goes on to discuss how useful, realizable telerobots and rovers can be developed in the context of human-machine systems. Telerobot and rover computational and architectural requirements are also briefly examined, and examples of current work, including the development of dedicated analog processing chips based upon neural networks are described. The paper closes with some speculations on the terrestrial implications of space robotics and some general conclusions.

Ruoff, Carl F.↗