Advanced Space Suit Design Within a Human-Robotic Architecture

Paper number

IAC-07-A5.I.-A3.I.B.25

Author

Mr. Shane Jacobs, University of Maryland, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Martin Stolen, University of Maryland, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Stephen Roderick, University of Maryland, United States

Coauthor

Dr. David Akin, University of Maryland, United States

Year

2007

Abstract

The future of space exploration will involve humans and robots cooperatively working together to achieve complex goals.  To explore these space-specific human-robotic interactions, an operational pressure suit designed for use in neutral buoyancy has been developed.  The suit facilitates simulation of Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA), providing an experimental analogue to current flight-rated suits.   The fiberglass hard upper torso, three layer soft goods, communications headset and triple redundant life support system grant the subject realistic joint restrictions, work envelopes and auditory and visual environments.  Thus, suited-subjects working with robotic systems experience similar limitations to those felt by astronauts on EVA, providing an accurate simulation of human-robotic interaction in microgravity.  In addition, the suit’s ballasting system can enable ballasted partial gravity simulation, so as to examine human-robotic interactions on the surface of the Moon or Mars.

The suit is designed to work within a human-robotic architecture, which includes a suit-integrated robotic arm, a free flying cooperative inspection robot, and a large satellite servicing robot.  The first case involves a small dexterous robotic arm mounted to the back door of the suit, essentially providing a third arm and significantly increasing the subject’s work envelope.  The free-flying inspection robot, SCAMP, can be used to provide the subject with alternate views of the environment, enhancing visual capabilities and reducing the subject’s workload.  The suit is also designed to interface with Ranger, a robot capable of satellite servicing simulations in neutral buoyancy. Ranger provides both a mobile platform for the subject and a pair of dexterous arms to aid in manipulation of objects and completion of complex tasks.  Integrated processing onboard both the suit and Ranger enables bidirectional high-bandwidth communication between the two systems.  Finally, the suit is equipped with a comprehensive sensor suite, enabling real-time health monitoring of suit and subject, as well as metabolic workload measurement.  This provides quantitative data to analyze various human-robotic interfaces and distribution of tasks.  

Manned testing of the suit, within this human-robotic architecture, has shown the suit to be a realistic simulation of operational space suits, and thus an extremely valuable research tool for human-robotic interaction in space.  The suit is a unique platform to investigate future exploration of the Moon and Mars within a human-robotic architecture.

Abstract document

IAC-07-A5.I.-A3.I.B.25.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-A5.I.-A3.I.B.25.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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