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NASA NTRS1987

The sensing and perception subsystem of the NASA research telerobot

A useful space telerobot for on-orbit assembly, maintenance, and repair tasks must have a sensing and perception subsystem which can provide the locations, orientations, and velocities of all relevant objects in the work environment. This function must be accomplished with sufficient speed and accuracy to permit effective grappling and manipulation. Appropriate symbolic names must be attached to each object for use by higher-level planning algorithms. Sensor data and inferences must be presented to the remote human operator in a way that is both comprehensible in ensuring safe autonomous operation and useful for direct teleoperation. Research at JPL toward these objectives is described.

Wilcox, B.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Sensor systems testbed for telerobotic navigation

A testbed has been developed for the study of sensor systems to be used in telerobotic operations. The program, conducted in conjunction with Johnson Space Center of NASA, addresses the navigational problems associated with target acquisition and rendezvous for teleoperated robotic work stations. The program will utilize a mobile platform which will support various sensor systems during their development and testing in an earth-based environment. The testbed has been developed in support of a program to develop sensor systems that will aid in rendezvous and docking operations to be conducted as a part of the space station program. A mobile platform has been used to permit testing of these components in a conventional laboratory environment with consequent savings in cost and complexity. The sensor systems, while representative of devices currently in use for robotic applications, are not considered prototypical of the ones that will be used in the final applications. The test program provided information that will support the design of system augmentations and will lead to a comprehensive test program for sensor development.

Thiele, A. W.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Object apprehension using vision and touch

Researchers define object apprehension as the determination of the properties of an object and the relationships among these properties. They contrast this with recognition, which goes a step further to attach a label to the object as a whole. Apprehension is fundamental to manipulation. This is true whether the manipulation is being carried out by an autonomous robot or is the result of teleoperation involving sensory feedback. Researchers present an apprehension paradigm using both vision and touch. In this model, they define a representation for object apprehension in terms of a set of primitives and features, along with their relationships. This representation is the mechanism by which the data from the two modalities are combined. It is also the mechanism which drives the apprehension process.

Bajcsy, R.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Sensory substitution for space gloves and for space robots

Sensory substitution systems for space applications are described. Physical sensors replace missing human receptors and feed information to the interpretive centers of a different sense. The brain is plastic enough so that, with training, the subject localizes the input as if it were received through the missing receptors. Astronauts have difficulty feeling objects through space suit gloves because of their thickness and because of the 4.3 psi pressure difference. Miniature force sensors on the glove palm drive an electrotactile belt around the waist, thus augmenting the missing tactile sensation. A proposed teleoperator system with telepresence for a space robot would incorporate teleproprioception and a force sensor/electrotactile belt sensory substitution system for teletouch.

Bach-Y-rita, P.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Manipulator control and mechanization: A telerobot subsystem

The short- and long-term autonomous robot control activities in the Robotics and Teleoperators Research Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are described. This group is one of several involved in robotics and is an integral part of a new NASA robotics initiative called Telerobot program. A description of the architecture, hardware and software, and the research direction in manipulator control is given.

Hayati, S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Task-level testing of the JPL-OMV smart end effector

An intelligent end effector previously developed at JPL has been tested in over 21 hours of experimental teleoperation. The end effector provides local control of gripper clamping force and a 6-degree-of-freedom, wrist mounted force torque sensor. Resolved forces and torques were displayed to the test subjects, and the effect of this information on their performance of simulated satellite servicing tasks was assessed. The experienced subjects accomplished the tasks with lower levels of Remote Manipulator System (RMS) forces than intermediate and naive subjects, but the force levels were apparently uncorrelated with the presence or absence of the display. This negative finding was attributed to the lack of a suitable control mode in the manipulator control system.

Hannaford, B.↗

NASA NTRS1987

U.S. Space Station platform - Configuration technology for customer servicing

Features of the Space Station coorbiting and polar orbiting platforms (COP and POP, respectively) are described that will allow them to be configured optimally to meet mission requirements and to be assembled, serviced, and modified on-orbit. Both of these platforms were designed to permit servicing at the Shuttle using the remote manipulator system with teleoperated end effectors; EVA was planned as a backup and for unplanned payload failure modes. Station-based servicing is discussed as well as expendable launch vehicle-based servicing concepts.

Dezio, Joseph A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Automation and robotics and related technology issues for Space Station customer servicing

Several flight servicing support elements are discussed within the context of the Space Station. Particular attention is given to the servicing facility, the mobile servicing center, and the flight telerobotic servicer (FTS). The role that automation and robotics can play in the design and operation of each of these elements is discussed. It is noted that the FTS, which is currently being developed by NASA, will evolve to increasing levels of autonomy to allow for the virtual elimination of routine EVA. Some of the features of the FTS will probably be: dual manipulator arms having reach and dexterity roughly equivalent to that of an EVA-suited astronaut, force reflection capability allowing efficient teleoperation, and capability of operating from a variety of support systems.

Cline, Helmut P.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Integrated strategies for the exploration of Mars

Two mission programs for the manned exploration of Mars are discussed. The first is a four-man, split/spring mission proposed for 2001-2003. It includes the manned exploration of Phobos and teleoperated exploration of the Martian surface using unmanned vehicles with sample return capabilities. The second program is a series of three split/sprint missions planned for between 2005 and 2012. These missions include the exploration of three different areas of the Martian surface by three different four-man crews. Each crew would spend 20 days on Mars with manned sorties to Phobos and Deimos.

Craig, Mark K.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Telescience in the Space Station era

Telescience refers to the development of systems where participants involved in research in space can access their fellow scientists and the appropriate NASA services before flight, during flight, and after flight, preferably from their home institutions and through the same equipment. Telescience requires integration of available technologies to develop computer environments that maintain interoperability across different disciplines and different portions of the lifetimes of space experiments, called teledesign, teleoperations, and teleanalysis. Participants in the NASA Telescience Testbed Program are using a rigid prototyping approach to evaluate the necessary technologies and select the options and tradeoffs that best suit their accustomed modalities. The concept of transaction management is described, where the emphasis is placed on the effects of commands, whether event-generated onboard the spacecraft or sent up from the ground. Interoperability, security, and privacy issues are also discussed, and the Telescience Testbed Pilot Program is described.

Schmerling, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The Flight Telerobotic Servicer Project and systems overview

As part of the Flight Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) project an advanced telerobotic system is being developed to assist in and reduce crew extravehicular activity (EVA) for the U.S. Space Station. The FTS will be used for assembly, maintenance, servicing, and inspection throughout the lifetime of the Space Station. A brief overview of the FTS program is given, and some of the technical and system engineering issues associated with the development of the FTS are explored. A key to the evolutionary capability of the FTS design is the NASREM (NASA Standard Reference Model for telerobot control system) architecture. This architecture provides the framework for future growth and permits a logical blend of teleoperation and autonomous operations as required.

Mccain, Harry G.↗

NASA NTRS1988

NASA research and development for space telerobotics

The goal of this research is to explore and prove out robust concepts for telerobotic support of space servicing, assembly, maintenance, and telescience tasks. This goal is being addressed through a program of coordinated work in artificial intelligence, robotics, and human factors. The general research objective is the fusion of robot sensing and manipulation, teleoperation, and human and machine cognitive skills into an effective architecture for supervised task automation. NASA is evaluating results of this research program in a ground laboratory telerobot testbed under development at JPL. The testbed development activity includes integrated technology demonstrations. The demonstrations will show telerobot capabilities to perform tasks of increasing complexity, and duration in increasingly unstructured environments. The first such demonstration is the ground-based grappling, dockling, and servicing of a satellite taskboard.

Schenker, Paul S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Opportunities for space station assembly operations during crew absence

Prior to Permanently Manned Capability (to be achieved approximately 21 months after the First Element Launch), the Space Station will be manned for less than 10 percent of its total staytime on orbit. The most intensive and critical Station assembly operations will occur during these early flights. Some robotic resources may be available to perform assembly operations while the Station crew is absent; however, the use of robotic devices for assembly operations during unmanned phases has not yet been adopted by the Space Station program. This paper studies the relevant aspects of teleoperated and autonomous assembly activities, and presents candidate assembly operations that could be performed during crew absence. From this analysis, the potential benefits of remote control of robotic resources can be weighed against any associated increase in cost and complexity that would accompany implementation of this capability.

Parrish, Joseph C.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Flight hardware and tele-operations supporting the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment aboard the Space Shuttle

The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment, which is expected to fly on the Space Shuttle to study dendritic solidification of molten metals such as iron and aluminum, is examined. Succinonitrile and pivalic acid are substitued for metals to permit visualiztion of dendritic growth. The technical features of the apparatus are described, including temperature control, the photographic system, and slow scan television. The teleoperations techniques for the experiment are discussed in detail.

Winsa, E.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Astronomical data analysis from remote sites

The development of telescience methodologies for teledesign, teleoperation, and teleanalysis, and the possible verification of these concepts using the Extreme UV Explorer (EUVE) are discussed. The EUVE is a satellite payload scheduled for launch in 1991. The use of the Browse data base system (Star et al., 1987) is reviewed and its suitability for astronomy applications is evaluated. The possibility of adopting the Browse system for EUVE data analysis is considered.

Chakrabarti, Supriya↗

NASA NTRS1988

Robotic space construction

Research at Langley AFB concerning automated space assembly is reviewed, including a Space Shuttle experiment to test astronaut ability to assemble a repetitive truss structure, testing the use of teleoperated manipulators to construct the Assembly Concept for Construction of Erectable Space Structures I truss, and assessment of the basic characteristics of manipulator assembly operations. Other research topics include the simultaneous coordinated control of dual-arm manipulators and the automated assembly of candidate Space Station trusses. Consideration is given to the construction of an Automated Space Assembly Laboratory to study and develop the algorithms, procedures, special purpose hardware, and processes needed for automated truss assembly.

Mixon, Randolph W.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Interchangeable end effector tools utilized on the protoflight manipulator arm

A subset of teleoperator and effector tools was designed, fabricated, delivered and successfully demonstrated on the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) protoflight manipulator arm (PFMA). The tools delivered included a rotary power tool with interchangeable collets and two fluid coupling mate/demate tools; one for a Fairchild coupling and the other for a Purolator coupling. An electrical interface connector was also provided for the rotary power tool. A tool set, from which the subset was selected, for performing on-orbit satellite maintenance was identified and conceptionally designed. Maintenance requirements were synthesized, evaluated and prioritized to develop design requirements for a set of end effector tools representative of those needed to provide on-orbit maintenance of satellites to be flown in the 1986 to 2000 timeframe.

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NASA NTRS1990

Small business innovation research. Abstracts of 1988 phase 1 awards

Non-proprietary proposal abstracts of Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects supported by NASA are presented. Projects in the fields of aeronautical propulsion, aerodynamics, acoustics, aircraft systems, materials and structures, teleoperators and robots, computer sciences, information systems, data processing, spacecraft propulsion, bioastronautics, satellite communication, and space processing are covered.

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