Real-time control interface for (DM)/sup 2/

Abstract

The Dual-Use Mobile Detachable Manipulator, or (DM)/sup 2/, is a modular robot with reconfigurable hardware and real-time controls for lunar exploration and maintenance. Since the controls software is used directly only at a very low level, the purpose of the user interface is to create an abstraction through which the robot is controlled. This is accomplished with the use of interactive graphics to automatically generate and communicate lower level robotic commands, making the robot more usable.