D. E. Phinney
Papers
3
Total Citations
20
H-Index
3
About
D. E. Phinney is a space robotics researcher whose work has centered on the development of intelligent, autonomous robotic systems for use in human spaceflight environments. Working primarily during the early-to-mid 1990s, Phinney made notable contributions to the design and testing of the EVA Retriever, a voice-supervised, free-flying robot conceived to address a critical safety requirement aboard Space Station Freedom: the retrieval of crew members, replacement units, and essential tools that might accidentally become separated from the station during operations. This represented a significant engineering challenge, requiring the integration of artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation, and human-robot interaction in the demanding conditions of space. Phinney's research progressed from conceptual technology development in 1990 through ground-based demonstration and evaluation by 1992, culminating in refined system descriptions by 1995. These papers collectively document an important chapter in the evolution of extravehicular activity support systems and laid groundwork for future autonomous robotic assistants in space. With a combined citation count of 20 across three focused publications, Phinney's work remains a referenced contribution for researchers exploring the intersection of robotics, crew safety, and intelligent systems in the context of human space exploration.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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