Multisensory Telerobotic Concepts

Abstract

The telerobotic concepts as presently developed for a space robot technology experiment ROTEX to fly with the next spacelab mission D2 in 1992 are outlined; the robot is supposed to work in an autonomous mode, tdeoperated by astronauts, and teleoperated from ground. One of its key features is a recently developed multisensory gripper with highly integrated, miniaturized sensor technology including stiff and compliant six-axis force-torque-sensing, 9 laser range finders, 1,actile arrays, grasp force control using a new electrical gripper drive and a stereo camera pair. Sensory feedback schemes and machine interface concepts using a 6 dof control ball and stereo imaging is explained. Sensory simulation on ground using advanced stereo graphics is supposed to predict the sensor based pat11 refinement on board, while realtime fusion . of stereo images and laserscan information helps to predict the motion of floating objects to be grasped. Finally a light-weight robot concept with new in1 elligent joint drives and grip-structure composite arms for the astronaut training onground is discussed.