Location

Holiday Inn, Manatee Rooms A & B

Start Date

25-4-1995 2:00 PM

End Date

25-4-1995 5:00 PM

Description

This paper describes work performed at the Rockwell Space Division, Downey, California, and at Fluor Daniel Inc. Irvine, California, related to task performance in remote hazardous environments through advanced robotic and vision systems. These environments could be in space, for example related to the Space Shuttle, Space Station and outer space and planetary environments. In addition, the environments could be on earth, for example areas contaminated by chemical or radioactive waste. In both instances, the task is most efficiently performed when the environment has been designed from the very beginning for remote task performance. While this is often not the case, much is being done in the development of two important related remote technologies: environmental characterization and inspection; and remote handling and manipulation.

Important work has already taken place in developing robust systems for remote characterization, inspection and manipulation, for example, at the facilities of NASA and the Department of Energy. NASA is already integrating and testing a mobile robot system for inspection and re-waterproofing of thermal protection system tiles on the Space Shuttle. Other NASA efforts include micro-rovers, robotic devices for ground emergency responses, robots with local autonomy for ground characterization, and small, highly dexterous robots for visual inspection. In addition, the Department of Energy has many efforts to develop characterization, inspection and robotic systems for radiation areas. Notable examples include mobile systems for inspection of exterior and interior acreage sites, reactor vessels, pipes, drums, and various devices and special end-effectors for waste excavation, size reduction, manipulation, decontamination, and decommissioning. To support these activities, we have taken a systematic approach to developing some of the basic technologies necessary for remote operations in hostile environments. Our major thrust has been to develop a modular, re-configurable robotics laboratory test bed, and then to use this test bed to support advances in the following areas: simulation and engineering analysis for development and verification of remote tasks; special vision systems; and vibration isolation to stabilize and enhance remote manipulators.

Comments

Nurturing Our Environment

Session Chairman: William F. Townsend, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Mission to Planet Earth, NASA Headquarters

Session Organizer: Vanessa Stromer

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Apr 25th, 2:00 PM Apr 25th, 5:00 PM

Paper Session I-C - Advanced Vision and Robotic Systems for Hazardous Environments

Holiday Inn, Manatee Rooms A & B

This paper describes work performed at the Rockwell Space Division, Downey, California, and at Fluor Daniel Inc. Irvine, California, related to task performance in remote hazardous environments through advanced robotic and vision systems. These environments could be in space, for example related to the Space Shuttle, Space Station and outer space and planetary environments. In addition, the environments could be on earth, for example areas contaminated by chemical or radioactive waste. In both instances, the task is most efficiently performed when the environment has been designed from the very beginning for remote task performance. While this is often not the case, much is being done in the development of two important related remote technologies: environmental characterization and inspection; and remote handling and manipulation.

Important work has already taken place in developing robust systems for remote characterization, inspection and manipulation, for example, at the facilities of NASA and the Department of Energy. NASA is already integrating and testing a mobile robot system for inspection and re-waterproofing of thermal protection system tiles on the Space Shuttle. Other NASA efforts include micro-rovers, robotic devices for ground emergency responses, robots with local autonomy for ground characterization, and small, highly dexterous robots for visual inspection. In addition, the Department of Energy has many efforts to develop characterization, inspection and robotic systems for radiation areas. Notable examples include mobile systems for inspection of exterior and interior acreage sites, reactor vessels, pipes, drums, and various devices and special end-effectors for waste excavation, size reduction, manipulation, decontamination, and decommissioning. To support these activities, we have taken a systematic approach to developing some of the basic technologies necessary for remote operations in hostile environments. Our major thrust has been to develop a modular, re-configurable robotics laboratory test bed, and then to use this test bed to support advances in the following areas: simulation and engineering analysis for development and verification of remote tasks; special vision systems; and vibration isolation to stabilize and enhance remote manipulators.

 

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