Design of a distributed control system for a robotic mannequin

Abstract

A robotic mannequin with thirty-eight degrees of movement freedom has been designed and is currently being developed by engineers at Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The mannequin will be used to test the effectiveness of protective clothing in hazardous environments. By simulating human movements and positions, the mannequin will be able to test the effectiveness of protective clothing in a realistic, workplace environment. The accuracy afforded by the mannequin has not been possible to date without using human testers. In addition to this realistic environment, reproducible and standardized testing will be achieved by using the mannequin's programmed and repetitive test routines. During testing, special sensors will detect any penetration of the protective clothing by the hostile environment. The robotic mannequin's control system provides the control and monitoring functions necessary to allow coordinated movement of multiple joints and also controls the ancillary systems: breathing, perspiration, skin heating, sampling of chemical reagents, and test data recording.