We describe preliminary results of the feasibility study of automation and crew workload saving in space experiments on the space station. Some functions have been studied that can be automated within a single rack and without major impact to the development process and costs. In addition, we assume the following premises: (1) applicable as the second generation apparatuses; (2) maximum reduction of the crew workload; and (3) automation between racks including storage. Four apparatuses have been selected as the study case; results for three are summarized

Funaya, Kouichi

Kawamura, Takeya

Matsumoto, Kohtaro

Sonobe, Masayoshi

Suzuki, Tsuyoshi

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

Automation
Kohtaro Matsumoto, Tsuyoshi Suzuki
Invited Scientist
Space Experiment Department, Office of Space Utilization Systems,
National Space Development Agency of Japan(NASDA)
2-1-1, Sengen Tsukuba, Ibaraki305, Japan 81-298-52-2764, FAX:81-298-52-1597
NLMATSUMOTO@rd.tksc.nasda.go.jp
Kouichi Funaya
Functional Devices Research Laboratories,NEC Corporation
1-1, Miyazaki 4-Chome, Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki 216, Japan 81-44-856-2037,FAX:81-44-856-2210
Takeya Kawamura
Mechatronics Equipment Development & Design Sec., Information Processing & Electronic Systems Dept.
Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
1-1-1, Wadasaki, Hyogo-ku, Kobe 652, Japan 81-78-672-2811 FAX:81-78-672-2985
Masayoshi Sonobe
Space Systems Design Center, Hitachi Works, Hitachi Ltd.
1-1 Saiwaicho 3, Hitachi, Ibaraki317, Japan 81-294-21-1111 FAX:81-294-24-1464
and Crew Time Saving in the Space Experiment
N95- 23715
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we will describe the preliminary
results of the feasibility study of the automation and
crew workload saving in the space experiments.
Four apparatuses have been selected as the study
case. In this paper, three results will be
summarized. The fourth result will be described in
other paper.[ 1]
I. INTRODUCTION
During the restructuring and the re-design efforts
and during the user integration work for the JEM, it
has been revealed that crew work might be too short
on the space station.
The common experiment apparatuses for the initial
utilization of the JEM have been under development
already. Some automation functions have been
studied for the devices, that can be automated within
a single rack and without major impacts for the
development process and costs.
In addition to such automation, in our study, we
assume the following premises to develop new
concepts;
(1) Applicable as the second generation apparatuses.
(2) Maximum reduction of the crew workload.
(3) Automation between racks including the storage.
2. CONCEPTS FOR THE AUTOMATION
AND CREW TIME SAVING (A&C)
in this chapter, three A&C concepts will be
described for the material processing furnace, the
life sciences experiment apparatus, and the
cleanbench. During the study, most of the effort
were devoted to keep the rationality of the
experiment itself with the minimum non-scientific
degradation by the automation and/or robotics
concepts.
PRECEDING
215
2.1 A&C FOR THE MATERIAL
PROCESSING EXPERIMENT
FURNACES
(1) Tasks for A&C
The current design for the furnaces closes to its
automation inside the experiment module itself. The
effort for A&C focuses on the exchange of the
sample holders for the logistic operation.
In the JEM, most of the logistic materials will be
stored in the pressurized logistic module, that will
be connected vertically to the JEM through the
connecting hatch. The A&C system transfers and or
hand-overs the sample holders through the hatch.
Specimen cartridges are covered with the packing
or shock-absorbing materials. Unpacking and
attaching cartridges to the sample holder will be the
most time consuming crew works. The A&C
system saves the crew workload by automating
these tasks.
(2) Major elements of the automatic
re-supply device for the furnaces
Fig. 1 shows the system structure and its hand-
over operation through the hatch. Proposed A&C
system consists of apparatuses explained below.
(a)Sample holder for launch environment:
Multiple specimen cartridges are held in a holder.
Each holder is designed to simplify unpackage and
package tasks and hand-over tasks.
(h)Carrier mechanism: Wire driven planar
carrier mechanism is used both in the logistic
module and in the pressurized module. When no
logistic module is used, storages are placed in the
pressurized module.
The proposed design improves safety of the crew-
carrier co-working. The wire driven mechanism
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19950017295 2020-06-16T08:44:44+00:00Z
enables driving actuators to be placed in a f'Lxed and
remote area from crews. Because moving part
weight is reduced, safety against the possible
collision with crews improves. Also the planar
implementation reduces the interference volume
between crews and carder mechanisms.
(c)Handover mechanism through the hatch
Two hand-over mechanisms are installed close to
the hatch. One is in the pressurized module and the
other is in the logistic module. Each mechanism
hand-overs one sample holder between the carder
and the another hand over mechanism. These
mechanisms are folded and placed outside the hatch
to keep the hatch clear when not used.
(d)Sensors, cameras: Proximity sensors are
installed to detect crews and unexpected obstacles
on the carder's moving path. System cameras in the
JEM or a new inspection camera are used to
supervise carder motion and to check sample
cartridge defects.
(3) Merits and Problems
Proposed A&C system significantly reduces the
crew workload. Though visual inspection by the
crew or by the operator on the ground is still needed
when new sample holder is unpacked, time for
inspection is small compared with the whole time to
complete sample exchange.
To keep the safety level high, carder mechanism
motion is restricted to relatively slow. This
inefficiency can be improved by operating in more
large velocity, when the crew is absent from JEM.
(4) Safety Investigation
There are two safety issues to be considered. One
is the crew safety when carders are moving.
Another is the system safety against unexpected
environment changes.
To assure the crew safety, A&C system is
designed with the safety guideline shown in Tablel.
The carrier design fits this guideline as stated above.
The system safety is improved with sensors
installed on the moving part. Even if the crew
leaves something on the carder path, sensors detects
it and stops the motion. Obstacles can be removed
afterwards by crew or by the teleoperation from the
ground.
Before the full co-working operation, several
development steps shall be considered to assure the
safety functions completeness. Table 2 shows the
possible development steps.
(5) Future Subjects
Items listed below should be investigated further.
-Detailed interfaces with JEM system:
electrical and mechanical
-Carrier mechanism performance:
accuracy, compliance, driving power, etc.
-System control method:
autonomous control and/or manual control.
-Testbed experiment of proposed design:
feasibility test and reliability test through on
Telescience testbed experiments on the ground.
2.2 A&C FOR JEM LIFE SCIENCE
EXPERIMENT
(1) Tasks for A&C
The current design for JEM incubator and cell
culture devices covers only the crew operation. The
A&C concepts will be required in accordance with
growing needs of experiments and much less
availability of crew works. For JEM incubator
and cell culture devices, following factors shall be
considered:
(a) Automation of experiment devices
(b) Automation of observation devices
(c) Implementation of inter rack/device operation
support system (IRDOSS)
(2) Automation scheme for JEM life
Science
(a)Experiment devices: In the current design,
number of devices have been modified from the
Spacelab's devices to improve operability, instead
to enable the automation, because the automation of
each devices would result in so bulky design of
them. For example, the elastic bungee to fix
samples in the incubator, and polyethylene soft bag
to securely contain samples, both adopted on
Spacelab's incubator, required much crew
involvement. So, the rail sliding tray that can
securely load samples, and hard cases with
transparent window are adopted on JEM incubator
to replace bungees and soft bags.
(b)Observatiou devices: On Spacelab, high
quality observation devices, such as camcorder,
camera, and microscope were used to adapt to the
variety of experiments. The problem was that they
are originally designed for commercial use and
required much crew involvement during the
observation.
On JEM experiment, standardization of sample
size and remote command to the observation
devices (commanding of zoom, focus, exposure,
and so on) are considered to reduce crew
involvement. The automation of exchanging lenses
and films remain critical to achieve unmanned
observation.
(c)Implemenlation of IRDOSS : In order to
achieve unmanned sample exchange across the
racks, automated handling system should be
implemented into the existing devices. We call this
system inter-rack/device operation support system
(IRDOSS). Conceptual design of IRDOSS is
216
shown in Fig.2. The system is composed of sets
of articulated manipulators and planar position-
ing mechanism. The positioning mechanism can be
attached to the seat tracks on each experiment rack,
and the manipulator on it can reach every experi-
ment equipment on the rack, open the door, and
fetch bio-sample from the incubator or the stowage
container.
(3) Merit and Problems
Those devices designed for unmanned operation
would contribute to reduce crew involvement during
manned operation. However, some of the devices
such as hard cases, are likely to be too bulky or
massive to be handled and stowed.
(4) Crew Safety in IRDOSS
For IRDOSS, safety is most important, because
IRDOSS cannot avoid working with crew. For this
matter, the smooth surface of the manipulator, or
the proximity sensor to detect the crew shall be
considered.
(5) Future subject
Ground test for IRDOSS will be demonstrated.
2.3 A&C FOR THE TELEOPERATION
OF THE CLEANBENCH
(1) Tasks for A&C
Tasks inside the cleanbench are those such as
exchange the medium of the culture cell, procedure
to preserve samples, micro-manipulation, obser-
vation using the phase-contrast microscope. In this
study, those typical task for the life science
experiment are subjected to A&C.
(2) Concepts for A&C
The cleanbench A&C is achieved by automation and
teleoperation of the following tasks listed below.
(a)Preparation of the Cleanbeuch: Uplink
Experiment Process Managing Program (EPMP).
Temperature, cleanliness and other condition of the
cleanbench is controlled by the execution of EPMP.
(b)Transfer of samples : For the handling
operation, two types of handling manipulators will
be utilized. One will serve for the handling between
the cleanbench and the other devices such as
incubators and refrigerators. Another tiny
manipulators will serve handling within the
cleanbench. (Fig.3)
(c)Sterilization in the Airlock : In the airlock,
equipment that goes through will be sterilized by
70% ethanol. Spray the ethanol, removal of the
ethanol, monitor the concentration of the remaining
alcohol shall be automated or teleoperated.
(d)Task performed in the cleanbench's
working chamber : The culture cell is handled
by the tiny manipulators. The cell is positioned to
the Automated Sample Manipulation System
(ASMS) and exchanging the medium of the culture
cell and preservation of the samples are executed.
Mircomanipulators and the phase-contrast
microscope is able to be controlled by joystick and
keyboard from the ground.
(3) Merit and Problems
(a)Merit
(i)Saves Crew time.
(ii)On certain task, PS participation will not be
needed. Automated task may be able to perform
more precise work than the PS.
(b)Demerit
(i)Total weight of the cleanbench increase.
(ii)On board computer is preferred to be multitask
and high-performance.
(iii)Automated cleanbench may need major
remodeling when the crew stays on orbit
permanently and some automated part of
cleanbench becomes obstacle.
(iv)Consumption of electrical power may increase.
(4) Crew Safety Assurance
(a)When equipment are teleoperated or operated
automatically, crew are prohibited to enter the
working area.
(b)The sensor shall be attached to the equipment.
The sensor system avoids collision of crew and
equipment.
(5) Future Subject
(a)To ensure crew's safety, when equipment are
teleoperated or operated automatically.
(b)Recovery strategy from the handling error, such
as release anomaly.
3. CONCLUDING REMARK
At present, the first steps were taken to the A&C
evaluation. Those three results described here have
each depth of its concepts and also have variety of
positions to the A&C implementation. The
integrated concept will be needed in the next step of
A&C evaluation.
Also for the next step of A&C feasibility study, in
addition to the follow on study of the above
subjects, a couple of demonstration experiments
using Telescience testbed will be investigated in this
year.
REFERENCES
[1]Yamawaki, T., Shimoji, H., Abe, T., 1994.
Robotic Servicing System for Space Material
Experiment. In Proceedings of i-SAIRAS'94.
217
Table 1 Safety Guideline of Co-working System
I. Low mass property of the movable part.
2. Smooth shape without protuberance.
3. Manual operability in anomaly situation.
4. Monitoring of non-safety action.
PressurizedLogistic Module.-.---'-" .... ._ _
Carrier Mecha.ism _///_¢_ _3
in the Logistic Module- _ l::l-;--i
Carrier Mechanism _ ==:>,_._)
in the Pressurized Module
Experi
Modules
Storage
Table 2 Possible Development Step of the A&C Safety
l.Ground test:
Functional Test of mechanics & software.
Long term validation operation using test devices.
Exhaustive test of obstacle sensors.
Emergency shutdown test for various situation.
2. On-orbit test:
With Crew : Functional test monitored by crew.
Emergency stop by crew.
Without Crew: Programmed and teleoperated test.
3. Unmanned Operation:
Ground Checkout against the damage of specimens.
Autonomous recovery for partial emergency.
Recovery operation by the ground teleoperation.
Recovery by crew for serious anomaly.
4. Manned Operation
Crew checkout against the damage of specimens.
Ground monitoring for safety operation.
Effective recover operation by crew.
Consideration of the anomaly induced by crew.
Hand0ver Mechanism
"in the Logistic Module
Connecting Hatch
Handover MechanisI
in the Pressurized
Module
-Pressurized Iodule
Fig. 1 Automatic Re-Supply System
between Modules.
Fig.2 Inter-Rack/Device Operation Support
System (IRDOSS)
f_
Microscope
Automated Sample
Glove Port (for Crew) Mmnipulatial System
Micro
.smaaipulator
218
Fig.3 Automated and Tele-Operable Cleanbench


Automation and crew time saving in the space experiment

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