Three-Dimensional Visco-Elastric Fingering in a Non-Newtonian Fluid
- Paper number
IAC-04-J.P.10
- Author
Mr. Nicéphore Bonnet, France
- Year
2004
- Abstract
JAXA is developing an astronaut support robot which will support or replace astronaut’s IVA/EVA works The astronaut support robot has to work with astronaut in a same space where astronaut works. The robot has to have a capability to move in the work space to conduct tasks. There are several ways of re-locating a robot such as moving on rails (Mobile servicing system of the ISS is an example) and moving by flying. However these ways of re-location are not adequate for the astronaut support robot in a sense that it will disturb astronaut’s work. Our idea of re-locating the robot is to use tethers and extendable robot arm. Robot will have several tethers which are extended from the robot and will be anchored to handrails on the wall. The extendable robot arm will be used to handle the tethers. We developed an extendable robotic arm called SRA (STEM Robotic Arm). The basic technology used in that arm is the Storable Tubular Extendible Member (STEM), which is known as a simple and reliable deployable structures science 1960’s. However most of the applications of STEM are antennas and telescopic, and due to this, they are very week for compressed force. To apply the STEM to a robotic arm;
- It must be able to control and maintain the length even under stressed conditions.
- It must be able to be deployed and retracted many times stably without hysteresis.
The former deployable structures harness STEM’s self-deployment property to deploy and use actuator to retract. This deployment method doesn’t appropriate for robotic arms because the self-deployable force is not strong enough to carry or hook tethers. SRA, which we developed, uses actuators for both deployment and retracting so that it can control its length even under compressed force that is brought by carrying tethered hook or doing other tasks. In this paper, we show the system and mechanism of the SRA and the developing astronaut support robot.
- Abstract document