Multi-axis hand controller for the shuttle remote manipulator system

The Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, has a articulated arm of 50 ft. length with six motor-driven joints. The basic purpose is to establish physical contact with various space hardware items and maneuver these to the desired position and attitude with respect to the Orbiter, nulling out relative velocities and stabilizing the free-body system by managing residual energies. The normal operating mode is resolved-motion end-point rate control by man-in-loop command. The translational freedoms are defined so that the End Effector (EEFTR) of the arm will move in planes parallel to the principal translational planes of the Orbiter, at a rate commanded by the displacement of the Translation Hand Controller in the corresponding freedom and direction. The rotational freedoms are rate-controlled by the Rotation Hand Controller about pivot axes parallel to Orbiter roll, pitch and yaw, originating at the EEFTR reference point

Multi-axis manual controllers: A state-of-the-art report

A literature search was carried out to examine the feasibility of a six degree of freedom hand controller. Factors addressed included related areas, approaches to manual control, applications of manual controllers, and selected studies of the human neuromuscular system. Results are presented

Design and development of a six degree of freedom hand controller

The design objectives of a six degree of freedom manual controller are discussed with emphasis on a space environment. Details covered include problems associated with a zero-g environment, the need to accommodate both 'shirt sleeve' and space suited astronauts, the combination of both manipulator operation and spacecraft flight control in a single device, and to accommodate restraints in space. A variable configuration device designed as a development tool in which rotational axes can be moved relative to one another, is described and its limitations discussed. Two additional devices were developed for concept testing. Each device combines the need for good quality with its ability achieve a wide range of adjustments

Six degree of freedom manual controls study report

The feasibility of using degree of freedom manual controls in space in an on orbit environment was determined. Several six degree of freedom controls were tested in a laboratory environment, and replica controls were used to control robot arms. The selection of six degrees of freedom as a design goal was based on the fact that six degrees are sufficient to define the location and orientation of a rigid body in space

Manned simulations of the SRMS in SIMFAC

SIMFAC is a general purpose real-time simulation facility currently configured with an Orbiter-like Crew Compartment and a Displays and Controls (D and C) Subsystem to support the engineering developments of the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator (SRMS). The simulation consists of a software model of the anthropomorphic SRMS manipulator arm including the characteristics of its control system and joint drive modules. The following are discussed: (1) simulation and scene generation subsystems; (2) the SRMS task in SIMFAC; (3) operator tactics and options; (4) workload; (5) operator errors and sources; (6) areas for further work; and (7) general observations

A qualitative study of stakeholders' perspectives on the social network service environment

Over two billion people are using the Internet at present, assisted by the mediating activities of software agents which deal with the diversity and complexity of information. There are, however, ethical issues due to the monitoring-and-surveillance, data mining and autonomous nature of software agents. Considering the context, this study aims to comprehend stakeholders' perspectives on the social network service environment in order to identify the main considerations for the design of software agents in social network services in the near future. Twenty-one stakeholders, belonging to three key stakeholder groups, were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy for unstandardised semi-structured e-mail interviews. The interview data were analysed using a qualitative content analysis method. It was possible to identify three main considerations for the design of software agents in social network services, which were classified into the following categories: comprehensive understanding of users' perception of privacy, user type recognition algorithms for software agent development and existing software agents enhancement