Providing robotic assistance during extra-vehicular activity

Robert Burridge; Jeffrey Graham

doi:10.1117/12.457451

18 February 2002 Providing robotic assistance during extra-vehicular activity

Robert Burridge, Jeffrey Graham

Proceedings Volume 4573, Mobile Robots XVI; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.457451
Event: Intelligent Systems and Advanced Manufacturing, 2001, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

Manned missions to other planetary bodies will rely heavily on robotics and automation to enhance the operational safety and capabilities of the crew. In particular, the movement and sensing capabilities of humans in spacesuits are severely constrained. Thus, an important class of robot will be those that accompany humans during extra-vehicular activity (EVA) and provide assistance -- tool transport, video documentation, sample collection, etc. In 1999, NASA engaged in a set of field tests in California called ASRO (AStronaut-ROver), in which a space-suited test subject collaborated with the tele-operated Marsokhod mobile robot, controlled by scientist at a remote location. From the lessons learned in the ASRO tests, the EVA Robotic Assistant project was started at NASA's Johnson Space Center to provide a testbed for continued research in astronaut-robot interaction and cooperation. In September 2000, NASA conducted two weeks of field tests in Arizona at three planetary surface analog sites. Three scenarios were tested requiring cooperation between a space-suited astronaut and the autonomous EVA Robotic Assistant: Power Cable Deployment, Solar Panel Deployment, and Geologist's Assistant. In this paper, we describe the ERA project in detail, and report on results from the Arizona field tests.

Citation Download Citation

Robert Burridge and Jeffrey Graham "Providing robotic assistance during extra-vehicular activity", Proc. SPIE 4573, Mobile Robots XVI, (18 February 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.457451

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