COMPUTER CONTROLLED TELEROBOT WRIST MODULE

DISCLOSED IN THIS PROPOSAL ARE PLANS TO CONSTRUCT A PATENT PENDING WRIST MODULE WITH COMPUTER CONTROL, CONFIGURABLE TO FORM HIGH-DEXTERITY TELEROBOTIC ARMS FOR SPACE STATION CONSTRUCTION, SATELLITE MAINTENANCE, INTERPLANETARY EXPLORATION, WALKING ROBOTS, AND INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS. TELEROBOTIC ARMS REPLACE OR ASSIST ASTRONAUTS IN THE HAZARDOUS TASK OF EXTRA-VEHICULAR ACTIVITY. FIRST DISCLOSEDAT THE NASA CONFERENCE ON ROBOTICS AND FLEXIBLE AUTOMATION, JAN. 1986, THE WRIST MODULE PRESENTED FEATURES GREATER DEXTERITY AND SIMPLICITY THAN PREVIOUSLY OBTAINED OR PROPOSED. COMPATIBLE WITH GREATER RANGE IT COMPLEMENTS THE NASA PROPOSED MARTIN MARIETTA METR TELEROBOT. THE TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION DETAILS THE FORM, FUNCTION, AND FEATURES OF THE WRIST MODULE. COMPUTER CONTROL FOR ROBOTIC OPERATION AND TELEOPERATION ARE DESCRIBED DETAILING THE USE OF "COMPLIANT CONTROL" FOR UNPREDICTIBLY CONSTRAINED ENVIRONMENTS. PROJECT GOALS ARE REVEALED STATING THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THIS PROPOSAL. A DETAILED WORK PLAN IS ENUMERATED WHICH REVIEWS RELATED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. DETAILS SUCH AS RESUMES OF PARTICIPANTS, FACILITIES TO BE EXPLOITED, AND USE OF A CONSULTANT ARE EXAMINED. RELATIONSHIP TO FUTURE R&D, POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS, A BUDGET, AND CORPORATE LETTERS OF INTEREST CONCLUDE THIS PROPOSAL.