Using Virtual Reality for Human-Assisted In-Space Robotic Assembly

摘要

Telepresence systems are often used for terrestrial applications but they are not yet practically applied in space. The deployment of robots with visual as well as haptic feedback for servicing operations in space is a valuable addition to the existing autonomous systems since it will provide flexibility and robustness in mission operations. This is not only true for the robotic application itself but also for free-flying bases which can be used as the base of the robotic application as well as an independent inspector satellite. The operator on Earth will no longer be a pure observer but will have the capability of real-time interaction with the space environment. The use of virtual reality techniques will be of great benefit for the human operator on ground since it allows the implementation of means that help the operator in spatial orientation, navigation and control. For demonstrating the advantages of virtual reality in human-assisted in-space robotic assembly, a test environment is being developed at MIT Space Systems Laboratory, which is based on the SPHERES nano-satellite testbed.