Ground Robotic Hand Applications for the Space Program study (GRASP)

This document reports on a NASA-STDP effort to address research interests of the NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) through a study entitled, Ground Robotic-Hand Applications for the Space Program (GRASP). The primary objective of the GRASP study was to identify beneficial applications of specialized end-effectors and robotic hand devices for automating any ground operations which are performed at the Kennedy Space Center. Thus, operations for expendable vehicles, the Space Shuttle and its components, and all payloads were included in the study. Typical benefits of automating operations, or augmenting human operators performing physical tasks, include: reduced costs; enhanced safety and reliability; and reduced processing turnaround time

Graphite immobilisation in glass composite materials

Irradiated graphite is a problematic nuclear waste stream and currently raises significant concern worldwide in identifying its long-term disposal route. This thesis describes the use of glass materials for the immobilisation of irradiated graphite prepared by microwave, conventional and sparks plasma sintering methods. Several potential glass compositions namely iron phosphate, aluminoborosilicate, calcium aluminosilicate, alkali borosilicate and obsidian were considered for the immobilisation of various loadings of graphite simulating irradiated graphite. The properties of the samples produced using different processing methods are compared selectively. An investigation of microwave processing using an iron phosphate glass composition revealed that full reaction of the raw materials and formation of a glass melt occurs with consequent removal of porosity at 8 minutes microwave processing. When graphite is present, iron phosphate crystalline phases are formed with much higher levels of residual porosity of up to 43 % than in the samples prepared using conventional sintering under argon. It is found that graphite reacts with the microwave field when in powder form but this reaction is minimised when the graphite is incorporated into a pellet, and that the graphite also impedes sintering of the glass. Mössbauer spectroscopy indicates that reduction of iron occurs with concomitant graphite oxidation. The production of graphite-glass samples using various powdered glass compositions by conventional sintering method still resulted in high porosity with an average of 6-17 % for graphite loadings of 20-25 wt%. Due to the use of pre-made glasses and controlled sintering parameters, the loss of graphite from the total mass is reduced compared to the microwaved samples; the average mass loss is < 0.8 %. The complication of iron oxidation and reduction is present in all the iron containing base glasses considered and this increases the total porosity of the graphite-glass samples. It is concluded that the presence of iron in the raw materials or base glasses as an encapsulation media for the immobilisation of the irradiated graphite waste is not advisable. The production of glass and graphite-glass samples based calcium aluminosilicate composition by spark plasma sintering method is found highly suitable for the immobilisation of irradiated graphite wastes. The advantages of the method includes short processing time i.e. < 40 minutes, improved sintering transport mechanisms, limited graphite oxidation, low porosity (1-4 %) and acceptable tensile strength (2-7 MPa). The most promising samples prepared using spark plasma sintering method were loaded with 30-50 wt% graphite

Grasping, Communicating, Understanding: Connecting Reality and Virtuality

"Several simulation projects in the area of production and logistics indicated that, although we have sophisticated input and output devices for computer supported modeling, physical models still play an important role for cognition and communication. We therefore introduce the concept of a Graspable User Interface that aims at combining two model worlds, the one inside the computer and a corresponding physical one in the outside world. Sensored user hands will couple physical objects of the real world with virtual objects, thus allowing fairly unrestricted manipulation and expression. In this way modeling with real physical objects can create an abstract virtual model. Some applications of this concept are presented. A further perspective for a new action oriented communication and learning with artifacts is envisioned." [author's abstract

Human-centered Electric Prosthetic (HELP) Hand

Through a partnership with Indian non-profit Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, we designed a functional, robust, and and low cost electrically powered prosthetic hand that communicates with unilateral, transradial, urban Indian amputees through a biointerface. The device uses compliant tendon actuation, a small linear servo, and a wearable garment outfitted with flex sensors to produce a device that, once placed inside a prosthetic glove, is anthropomorphic in both look and feel. The prosthesis was developed such that future groups can design for manufacturing and distribution in India

BRL/Pisa/IIT SoftHand:A Low-cost, 3D-Printed, Underactuated, Tendon-Driven Hand with Soft and Adaptive Synergies

This letter introduces the SRI/Pisa/HT (BPI) SoftHand: a single actuator-driven, low-cost, 3D-printed, tendondriven, underactuated robot hand that can be used to perform a range of grasping tasks. Based on the adaptive synergies of the Pisa/IIT SoftHand, we design a new joint system and tendon routing to facilitate the inclusion of both soft and adaptive synergies, which helps us balance durability, affordability and grasping performance of the hand. The focus of this work is on the design, simulation, synergies and grasping tests of this SoftHand. The novel phalanges are designed and printed based on linkages, gear pairs and geometric restraint mechanisms, and can be applied to most tendon-driven robotic hands. We show that the robot hand can successfully grasp and lift various target objects and adapt to hold complex geometric shapes, reflecting the successful adoption of the soft and adaptive synergies. We intend to open-source the design of the hand so that it can be built cheaply on a home 3D-printer

Cognitive science and epistemic openness

Recent findings in cognitive science suggest that the epistemic subject is more complex and epistemically porous than is generally pictured. Human knowers are open to the world via multiple channels, each operating for particular purposes and according to its own logic. These findings need to be understood and addressed by the philosophical community. The current essay argues that one consequence of the new findings is to invalidate certain arguments for epistemic anti-realism

AGORAS: Exploring Creative Learning on Tangible User Interfaces

Departing from creative learning foundations, this paper discusses on the suitability of interactive tables as a grounding technology to support creative learning for several reasons: support for social learning, because the subjects share a physical space as in traditional non-digital technologies; communication during the creative, experimental and reflexive process is direct and not computer-mediated; and subjects can carry out the task in parallel on the same surface. Considering reflection, discussion and creation processes in a loop, an experiment with teenagers has been conducted comparing a digital-based against a pure tangible tabletop in a task of creating entities consisting of blocks and joint elements. This preliminary study, designed to obtain initial insights about whether the grounding technology may become a promising tool to support creative learning, explores some aspects such as productivity, complexity of designs and concurrent comanipulation. The results showed that subjects were more productive in terms of the number of solutions obtained using the non computer-mediated approach. However using the digital tabletop approach subjects design, on average, more complex or elaborate solutions in terms of the number of involved bodies and joints. Finally, an important finding was that teams established more frequently concurrent cooperation schemes in the digital tabletop condition by sharing more effectively the creation space.This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and Innovation under the National Strategic Program of Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation (I+D+i) and project TSI2010-20488. Our thanks to the Alaquas city council and the clubhouse’s managers. Thanks also to the team Polimedia of the office “Área de Información y Comunicaciones” (ASIC) for the support in computer hardware. A. Catalá is supported by a FPU fellowship from the Ministry of Education and Science of Spain with reference AP2006-00181.Catalá Bolós, A.; Jaén Martínez, FJ.; Martínez-Villaronga, A.; Mocholí Agües, JA. (2011). AGORAS: Exploring Creative Learning on Tangible User Interfaces. En Computer Software and Applications Conference (COMPSAC), 2011 IEEE 35th Annual. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 326-335. https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC.2011.50S32633

Hands in the Real World

Robots face a rapidly expanding range of potential applications beyond controlled environments, from remote exploration and search-and-rescue to household assistance and agriculture. The focus of physical interaction is typically delegated to end-effectors -- fixtures, grippers or hands -- as these machines perform manual tasks. Yet, effective deployment of versatile robot hands in the real world is still limited to few examples, despite decades of dedicated research. In this paper we review hands that found application in the field, aiming to discuss open challenges with more articulated designs, discussing novel trends and perspectives. We hope to encourage swift development of capable robotic hands for long-term use in varied real world settings. The first part of the paper centers around progress in artificial hand design, identifying key functions for a variety of environments. The final part focuses on the overall trends in hand mechanics, sensors and control, and how performance and resiliency are qualified for real world deployment

A Posture Sequence Learning System for an Anthropomorphic Robotic Hand

The paper presents a cognitive architecture for posture learning of an anthropomorphic robotic hand. Our approach is aimed to allow the robotic system to perform complex perceptual operations, to interact with a human user and to integrate the perceptions by a cognitive representation of the scene and the observed actions. The anthropomorphic robotic hand imitates the gestures acquired by the vision system in order to learn meaningful movements, to build its knowledge by different conceptual spaces and to perform complex interaction with the human operator