Telerobotics and orbital laboratories: an end-to-end analysis and demonstration

Area of Science:

• Space exploration
• Robotics
• Human-computer interaction

Background:

• Crew time is a critical resource limitation within the International Space Station's United States Laboratory module.
• A laboratory robot can mitigate time constraints, enhance safety, and decrease operational expenses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a laboratory experiment manipulator system (LEMS) for the United States Laboratory module.
• To address the challenges of remote robot control with time delays in a space environment.

Main Methods:

• A laboratory experiment manipulator system (LEMS) concept was developed, comprising an on-board mobile manipulator and an operator control station.
• An Intelledex 660 industrial robot was used to test the on-board manipulator concept, incorporating joystick control and delayed video feedback.
• A predictive display was implemented and evaluated as a solution for robot remote control with time delays, including calibration with correction factors for video optics.

Main Results:

• The preliminary analysis confirmed crew time as a significant constraint in the United States Laboratory module.
• The laboratory robot concept, LEMS, demonstrated potential to alleviate resource limitations and improve operational efficiency.
• The predictive display showed promise in addressing the challenges of controlling robots remotely with time delays.

Conclusions:

• Implementing a laboratory robot system like LEMS is crucial for optimizing operations within the United States Laboratory module.
• The developed predictive display technology offers a viable solution for enhancing teleoperation capabilities in space missions.
• Further development and integration of LEMS and its predictive display are recommended for future space exploration endeavors.