The recent research effort on the next generation space robots is presented. The goals of this research are to develop the fundamental technologies and to acquire the design parameters of the next generation space robot. Visual sensing and perception, dexterous manipulation, man machine interface and artificial intelligence techniques such as task planning are identified as the key technologies

Imai, Ryoichi

Iwata, Tsutomu

Oda, Mitsushige

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

N90-29 ;99
NEXT GENERATION SPACE ROBOT
Tsutomu IWATA, Mitsushige ODA, Ryoichi IMAI
Tsukuba Space Center
National Space Development Agency of Japan
2-1-I, Sengen, Tsukuba-City, 305, Japan
Abstract
This paper outlines our recent research effort on the next
generation space robots. The goals of this research are to
develop the fundamental technologies and to acquire the design
parameters of the next generation space robot. Visual sensing and
perception, dexterous manipulation, man-machine interface and AI
techniques such as task planning are identified as the key
technologies. In addition, the design study of the ground testbed
model and the simulator to evaluate the performance of the
integrated technologies are now under way.
I. Introduction
The advent of the Space Station and the space platforms in
late 1990s will increase the necessity for the in-orbit servicing
activities such as assembly, inspection, equipment exchange,
resupply, repair and maintenance. To meet these various in-orbit
servicing demands with much safety and efficiency, the
development and the application of the intelligent and flexible
space robots are required.
The National Space Development Agency of Japan ( NASDA )
started the research and development of the Remote Manipulator
System attached to the Space Station Japanese Experiment Module
( JEM ) in 1985. We have also initiated the study on the
advanced space robots, -Next Generation Space Robot-, based on
the technologies developed in the JEM Remote Manipulator System
project. The phase 1 research was started in 1988 and is
scheduled to end in 1991. This research encompasses mission
analysis, identification of key technologies, system
architecture, and performance demonstration by the ground
testbed model.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19900020583 2020-03-19T21:37:13+00:00Z
2.Generation of the Space Robot
We classify the space robots in three generations according
to the degree of autonomy as given below :
First generation : programmed control and/or proximately
operated manual control robots such as
Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator.
Second generation : teleoperation with some some autonomy (
semi-autonomous ) robots.
Third generation : highly intelligent and autonomous robots.
JEM Remote Manipulator System which is a 10-meter-long, 6
degree-of-freedom and master-slave/programmed control manipulator
is evidently a first generation space robot. Our research efforts
are concentrated on the second generation space robots. The
characteristics of each generation of the space robot are
summarized in Table-l.
Table-l. CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH GENERATION OF THE SPACE ROBOT
CHARACTERISTICS ist GENERATION 2nd GENERATION 3rd GENERATION
OBJECT KNOWN KNOWN UNKNOWN
SERVICING IN AND AROUND THE .EARTH ORBIT .DEEP SPACE
AREA VEHICLE .SPACE LABORATORY .LUNAR AND MARS SURFACE
MISSION • ORU EXCHANGE
.ASSEMBLY
(STANDARD AND
COOPERATIVE PARTS)
-BERTHING
•VEHICLE TOW
• AUTOMATED SPACE
EXPERIMENT
.ASSEMBLY
(FLEXIBLE, FRAGILE PARTS)
• PLATFORM MAINTENANCE
RESUPPLY
INSPECTION
REPAIR
.RETRIEVAL
.CONSTRUCTION
• FULL EVA
.EXPLORATION
.MANUFACTURING
MAN-MACHINE .MASTER-SLAVE CONTROL .TASK LEVEL LANGUAGE .NATURAL LANGUAGE
I/F .VISUAL IMAGE CONTROL INTERFACE
• FORCE FEEDBACK -TELEPRESENCE
MANIPULATION .SINGLE ARM .COOPERATIVE ARMS .ROBOTS COOPERATION
• STANDARD END EFFECTOR .INTERCHANGEABLE -NON-CONTACT
• GRIPPERS DEXTEROUS HANDS MANIPULATION
• FLEXIBLE ARM (APPLICATION OF THE
ELECTORO-MAGNETIC
FORCE)
SENSING & .VISION .VISUAL RECOGNITION .ENVIRONMENT
PERCEPTION .FORCE/TORQUE (DATA BASED MATCHING) RECOGNITION
• PROXIMITY/TOUCH .SENSOR FUSION
.TEXTURE
SYSTEM EXAMPLE JEMRMS OSV LUNAR ROVER
3.Mission of the Second Generation Space Robot
Three different types of the second generation space robots
are considered to analyze the mission of the future space
2_
activities around 2000.
Fixed based robot : This type of robot conducts routine
services and rather simple, repetitive
space experiments mainly to save the
human workload in space.
Truss mobile robot : This type of robot moves along the truss
structure of the large spacecraft like
MSC ( Mobile Servicing Center : Canada )
and conducts the external activities in
place or in support of manned EVA.
Free Flying robot This type of robot has the capability of
orbital maneuvering / changing , and
conducts the in-orbit services to the
unmanned platforms.
The possible missions and tasks of the above systems are
summarized in Table-2. Fig.-1 shows one concept of the free
flying robots temporarily named OSV (Orbital Servicing Vehicle ).
Table-2. MISSION OF EACH TYPE OF THE SPACE ROBOT
MISSION TASK FIXED TRUSS FREE
BASED MOBILE FLYING
SPACE EXPERIMENT MONITOR, SAMPLE AND EQUIPMENTEXCHANGE, 0 - -
EQUIPMENTHANDLING AND OPERATION
MAINTENANCE VISUAL, ELECTRICALAND MECHANICAL 0 0 0
INSPECTION,ORU AND MODULE EXCHANGE
RESUPPLY PROPELLANT,FLUID AND GASES - 0 (9
TRANSFER
ASSEMBLY TRUSS CONSTRUCTIONAND EXTENSION, - (9 0
MODULE LOADING, CABLE MATE/DEMATE
REPAIR FAILURE UNIT EXCHANGE, - (9 0
THERMAL BLANKET REPLACEMENT
BERTHING PLATFORM, HOPE AND LOGISTICSVEHICLE - (9 -
BERTHING AND RELEASING
CAPTURE SPACE DEBRIS ANDFAILURE SATELLITE - 0 (9
RETRIEVAL
SPACE TOWING - - (9RENDEZVOUSDOCKINGWITH PLATFORMS
AND LOGISTICS VEHICLE, ORBITALTRANSFER
2,47
LASER RADAR
ARM 1
DRTS ANTENNA
SOLAR PADDLE
DRTS ANTEN
OMNI-ANTENNA
Fig.-1 CONCEPT OF THE OSV
STABILIZING ARM
4.Key Technologies
Based on the mission analysis, key technologies needed for
the second generation space robots are identified as shown in
Fig.-2. Teleoperation combined with some autonomous control
function, which is called supervisory control or telerobotics, is
the primary concern to relief of the human workload and to
compensate for the time delay in the remote Control loop of the
second generation space robot. Dexterous manipulation is also
essential to increase the applicability of the robots to the
various space activities.
• RELIEF OF
HUMAN WORKING
• ADVENT OF THE |
EVOLUTIONAL SPACE _
STATION AND SUPERVISIORY
PLATFORMS --_TELEOPERATION SEMI-AUTONOMOUSCONTROL
\r
2nd GENERATION_SPACE ROBOT
•
DEMANDS FOR
ON ORBIT SERVICING
ACTIVITIES
_ DEXTEROUS
MANIPULATION
T
• HANDLING
MANY AND VARIED
OBJECTS
_SENSING
   CEPTION
DEXTEROUS
MULTI -PURPOSE
MANIPULATOR
TASK
PLANNING]
FAULT I
DETECTION I
AND I
Ii DIAGNOSISJ
_VISION 1SENSI G
PRESENCE
[ iCOORDINATED
[ MULTI-ARMS
CONTROL
I MODULARANIPULATOR
SMART HAND[
SYSTEM
ARCHITECTURE
AND
INTEGRATION
Fig.-2 KEY TECHNOLOGIES OF THE SECOND GENERATION SPACE ROBOT
248
The goals of our phase
are as follows.
I research' on those key technologies
Task planning : Task planning covers path planning which
generates the sequence of the robot motion
and the obstacle avoidance using task rules,
geometric data base and sensor data. The most
important point is the robustness of the
planning system against the uncertainties of
the real world.
Vision sensing : Acquisition, tracking and recognition of the
marked or known objects by the vision sensor
under the conditions of the simulated orbital
lighting.
Telepresence : The objectives of this work are to develop and
evaluate the advanced man-machine interface
technologies such as the application of the 3-D
vision and predicted simulation vision.
Dexterous : This work covers the development and the
manipulation evaluation of the coordinated multi-arms
control, modular reconfigurable manipulator and
the smart hands. Fig.-3 shows the concept of
the modular manipulator. The manipulator system
is reconfigurable by exchanging standard sized
arm links, actuator units and hands.
In addition, the evaluation of the system architecture and
integration with the ground testbed model is the major concern in
this phase.
SHOULDERp/y
EXAMPLEFEATURESOFTHEMANIPULATOR
CONFIGURATIONFORTHE OSV
_ ARM LENGTH 4- 5m/a rm
DEGREE OF
FREEDOM
TIP SPEED
TIP FORCE 100N ( max. )
ELBOWP/Y
WRIST R/P/Y_ _ _
INTERCB_GE_LE HANDS
TORQUE
ACCURACY
OBJECT MASS
HAND
COMPLIANCE
ARM MASS
8(l:trnoslatlonal 1_7:ro_atlonal
2OOmm/seo (mox.)
50Nm (max.)
Ioss than 2mm
I ton
Interohanseable
passive & ac_Ive
(software) oontrol
250kE/arm
POWER 5OOW/arm ( max.)
Fig.-3 CONCEPT OF THE MODULAR MANIPULATOR
5.Testbed model and the simulator
The objectives of the ground testbed model and the
simulator are to evaluate the performance of the key technologie s
and the applicability of the semi-autonomous robots to the near-
future space activities. The system configuration and the block
diagrams of the testbed model and the simulator employed in the
phase I research are shown in Fig.-4 and Fig.-5 respectively.
The simulator consists of the testbed model, experimental
work bench ,man-machine interface system and work stations for
the task planning and graphic simulations. The experimental work
bench is easily reconfigurable and applicable to the various in-
orbit servicing simulations. The testbed model which consists of
manipulators , visual sensors and local control unit is mounted
on the mobile platform of the motion simulator. In the experiment
of the free flying target capturing, this system can simulate the
relative 6 degree-of-freedom motion between the target and the
testbed model by the coordinated motion between the gimbal system
of the target and the mobile and rotational platform.
ROBOTICEVA
EXPERIMENT
•ORU EXCHANGE
"ASSEMBLY
• .REPA_
•MAINTENANCE [[I [__
•SPACEEXPERIMENT[[_f:-]"-_/_
INTERCHANGEABLE IHAND AND ARM LINK
BERTHINGAND -TRAGETKINEMATICSESTIMATION
CAPTUREEXPERIMENT -MOVINGTARGET (6.degree-of-freedom)CAPTURE
IMOVINGILLUMINATIONI
I "ORBITALLIGHTINGS/MULATION
TASK PLANNING
AND GRAPHIC
_/r_ SIMULATIONEXPERIMENT
•PREDICTEDMOTION
MANIPULATION
EXPERIMENT
MAN-MACHINE
•COORDINATED MOTIONSIMULATOR INTERFACE
MULTI-ARMS CONTROLLER EXPERIMENT
CONTROL
•SMARTHAND -TELEPRESENCE
-TELEOPERATION
Fig.-4 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION OF THE TESTBED MODEL AND THE SIMULATOR
25O
TARGET
•TARGET MOTIOH
• EDMOE/TO_UE
SEHSOR
DEXTEROUSHAND I US IIAND
!
I I
_1 ARM2
• JOINTS CONTROL .JOINTS CONTROL
• HANDCONTROL .IIAND CONTROL
• FORGE/TORQUE • FORCE/TO_UE
SENSOR SEHSOR
] J__
MANIPULATORCONTROL
° t
MAIN CONTROL
•COORDINATETRANSFORM
•MOTORCONTROL
.COLLISION/AVOIDANCE
VISION PROCESSING
• CAMERAAND LIGHT CONTROL
• PRIMITIVE EXTRACTION
• RANGEMEASUREMENT
• DATA COMPRESSION
SIMULATOR CONTROL
•SYSTEM CONTROL
•SYSTEM MONITOR
•FAILURE DIAGNOSIS
TELE-MARIPULATIOR
CONTROL
•STEREO VIDEO DISPLAY
•MASTERARMS
•JOYSTICKS
•KEY HOARD
•PREDICTED MOTIONDISPLAY
TASK PLANNING
•TASK STRATEGY
•PATH PLANNING
•OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE
•COLLISION AVOIDANCE
_ GRAPIIIC SIMuLATIoR
•DYNAMIC MOTION SIMULATION
•GRAPIIIC DISPLAY
•TASK DEMONSTRATtOH
DATA BASE
•WORLDMODEL
•TASK RULES
•ENVIRONMENTMODEL
Fig.-5 BLOCK DIAGRAMS OF THE TESTBED MODEL AND THE SIMULATOR
6. Research and Development Scenario
Fig.-6 shows the research and development schedule of the
second generation space robots. The research and development is
divided in two phases. The major objectives of the phase I
research are given below.
- obtain the system concept of the second generation space
robot
- analyze the in-orbit robotic servicing tasks
- research and development on the semi-autonomous and the
dexterous manipulation technologies
- evaluate the performance of the integrated technologies by
the ground testbed model and the simulator
The feasibility study on the specific robot systems and the
subsystem development will be conducted in the phase 2 research
planned to start in 1992. In addition, the in-orbit robotics
experiment with the Space Technology Experiment Platform ( STEP )
and the JEM is planned around 1997. The performance and the
applicability of the integrated robotic technologies , a sequence
of the task procedures,and the teleoperation/semi-autonomous
control scheme will be verified in the in-orbit experiment.
251
1985
1st GENERATIONSPACE ROBOT
1990 1995
I
1985
[ JEM-RMS I
I I
/
/
I
/
/
1996
/
/
1997
2nd GENERATIONSPACE ROBOT
2000
i {
{
SS/JEM
///----_ STEP
/
/
/
,1988 1992
2rd GENERATION/ ,
SPACE ROBOT " • SYSTEMCONCEPTSTUDY • SYSTEMFEASIBILITY STUDY//
• SUBSYSTEMRESEARCH • SUBSYSTEMDEVELOPMENT
• GROUND TESTBED • ENGINEERINGMODEL
MODEL
(GROUNDDEMONSTRATION)
•ON-ORBIT
SPACE ROTICS EXPERIMENT
(ON-ORBITDEMONSTRATION)
/
/
//,
I • A{DVANCED JEM-RMS!
-_ PLATFORM/
/
SPACE /FACTORY
/
/
/
/_ R & D OF THE
(3rdGENERATION)
SPACE ROBOT
/
Fig.-6 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO
7.References
I. " Study Report on Robot-Satellite" ( NASDA Contract
Report ), Institute for Future Technology, March 1984 ( in
Japanese ).
2." Automation & Robotics for the National Space Program",
California Space Institute, University of California, February
1985.
3. Montemerlo M D ; "NASA's Automation and Robotics
Technology Development Program", IEEE Conference on Automation &
Robotics , 1986.
4. Blais Th, Lacombe J L, Wetzel P ; "Utilization of
Robotics and Teleoperation for Future In-Orbit Operations", Proc.
First European In-Orbit Operations Technology Symposium ( ESA SP-
272 ), November 1987.
5. Pronk C N A, Ersu E, Lippary A L, Elfving A ; "Definition
of the EUROSIM Simulator Subsystem" , Proc. First European In-
Orbit Operations Technology Symposium ( ESA SP-272 ), November
1987.
6. Myers J K ; "System Integration of a Telerobotic
Demonstration System ( TDS ) Testbed", First Annual Workshop on
Space Operations Automation & Robotics ( NASA CP-2491 ), 1987.
7. Ikeuchi M, Oda M ;" Space Robotics in Japan", AIAA/NASA
First Symposium on Space Robotics & Automation, November 1988.
252


Next generation space robot

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server