2.2.7 Terrestrial And Commercial Applications

Terrestrial and Commercial Applications: This element of the program provides a means for the test and demonstration of space-targetted developed technologies in realistic operational test environments. These tasks are intended to move the technologies developed in the other elements of the program from the laboratory setting into operational use, and take advantage of the relatively easy access, well understood environments, and myriad problems to be solved to demonstrate the applicability of telerobotics. In addition, this element of the program includes tasks intended to rapidly move program-developed technology out into the commercial applications community. The intent of these tasks is ultimately to improve the national economic competitiveness of the United States and to improve the technology transfer efforts of the agency through the development of commercializable applications which draw upon space telerobotics technologies. These projects are jointly conducted by program laboratories and industrial partners to create and demonstrate full system prototype solutions to well understood terrestrial problems which can positively impact significant areas of the national economy.

Robotics Engineering Consortium

Medical Applications of MicroTelerobotics

Ground Emergency Response Vehicle

Robotic Tile Processing System

Robotics Engineering Consortium

Agriculture is a ripe, relatively unexploited application opportunity with uncommon advantages for commercializing mobile robotics technology. Over a billion tractor miles are driven annually, repeatedly over the same ground. Speeds are low, and precision is moderate. The terrain is mild, and proven navigation techniques apply. The goal of this CMU task is to develop, demonstrate and productize marketworthy controllers, positioners, safeguards, and task software specialized to the needs and constraints of commercial agriculture and related industries. Component technology results will be integrated onto a commercial agricultural harvester, and demonstrations will be conducted of automatically controlled harvesting operations to market relevant standards.

Point of Contact:
Dave Pahnos
(412) 268-7084
dpahnos@frc2.frc.ri.cmu.edu

Medical Applications of MicroTelerobotics

Public interest in improved health care, coupled with recent technology advances in medical imaging and automation, is stimulating growth in robot assisted surgeries. Robotic assists offer the promise of precision, repeatable procedures with higher positive outcomes rates and lower costs. There has been recent progress in robotic surgical procedures such as artificial joint emplacement and laparoscopy; however, high dexterity surgeries at small scales still remain a largely unaddressed area of critical need. Through a cooperative NASA-Industry effort, this project develops a novel dexterity-enhanced master-slave telemanipulator to enable breakthrough procedures in Robot Assisted MicroSurgery (RAMS). The potential medical applications include microsurgeries of the eye, ear, nose, throat, face, hand, and brain. The major design and implementation goal is a micro-telerobotic platform for master-slave scaled manipulation over a 10-20 cubic centimeter surgical work volume at relative positioning resolutions down to 20 microns. Master design will allow a minimum 2:1 down-scaling of the surgeon's hand motions over the full work volume without indexing. The RAMS platform capabilities will include not only this 6-d.o.f. kinematic scaling, but also scaled force-reflection and hand tremor filtering for enhanced surgical dexterity; RAMS platform instrumentation will include imaging/graphics modes for enhanced micro- telepresence and tissue discrimination. As part of planned task activities, the technologies developed in this task will be benchmarked in actual clinical Operating Room (OR) procedures for vitreous retinal surgery, slated to begin in FY 1996. The related NASA technology designs are commercialized under a NASA-Industry Technology Cooperation Agreement (TCA), with the goal of first market entry by FY97. Interim development steps include medical laboratory benchmarking of pre- clinical models under funding of the intended end-market distributor. The NASA role encompasses engineering prototype concept designs, development, validation, and documentation. The Industry partner role encompasses medical user requirements, collaborative system design, design transfer to medical laboratory evaluation (specimens), clinical trials (patients) and establishment of an end-market distribution channel. A NASA-convened Medical Advisory Board provides periodic reviews and guidance of scope, emphasis, and commercialization strategy.

Focus and Directions:

FY '94 Develop a 6-d.o.f. micro-robot slave with task-level teleoperative control interfaces, providing a non-singular work volume of 10-20 cubic centimeters and relative positioning of at least 25 microns [Level 1].

FY '95 Develop a 6-d.o.f. master hand controller for the robot slave and demonstrate an integrated master-slave telemanipulator system capable of at least 2:1 kinematic scaling over a nominal 10 cubic centimeter non- indexed work volume [Level 1]. Develop and verify in simulation a manual control enhancement technique to selectively filter operator's manual jerk and involuntary tremor in the 5-10 Hz regime. [By end-year, Industry to establish an end-market funding source for the medical lab testbed phase].

FY '96 Develop, instrument, and demonstrate the RAMS master-slave telemanipulator in direct force feedback mode for a nominal 10:1 dynamic range of .5 - 5.0 oz.; and, integrate & evaluate the tremor compensation [Level 1]. Begin development of multi-mode in situ imaging functions (optical/ultrasonic) for end-of-attached-tool (EOAT) instrumentation. Instrument and evaluate the robot slave for high-gain (e.g., 10-100:1), cross-modal force/textural presentation. [By end-year, Industry to perform a clinical procedure with basic master-slave configuration.]

FY '97 Develop and instrument the above RAMS MicroDexterity workstation platform with optical/multi-mode imaging [Level 1]. Develop and demonstrate techniques for robot auto-positioning, with reference to computer derived 3-D surgical model. [By end-year, Industry to have jointly reported with NASA the outcome(s) of clinical trial, and established end-market commitment for a first product release.]

Point of Contact:
Paul Schenker
(818) 354-2681
paul.schenker@telerobotics.jpl.nasa.gov

Ground Emergency Response Vehicle

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is developing a teleoperated mobile robot enabling Safety and HAZMAT Team personnel remote access to sites where hazardous materials have been accidently spilled or released. This task is demonstrating the feasibility of using teleoperated robots in hazardous and dangerous environments, thereby protecting people from unknown dangers. An important aspect of the project is the close involvement of the JPL Fire Department HAZMAT Team which provides input for system modifications as well as operates and tests the robot. The primary mission of the robot is first entry and reconnaissance of an incident site that may require unlocking and opening doors, climbing stairs, and maneuvering in tight spaces. The system has been specially designed with solid state electronics, brushless motors, and on-board pressurization system for operation in atmospheres containing combustible vapors (NEC Class I, Division 2 areas). The robot can also aid in material identification using an on-board chemical sensor as well as aid in incident mitigating by, for example, deploying absorbent pads or closing a valve.

Focus and Directions:

FY91 Training and experimentation by JPL HAZMAT Team with commercially available REMOTEC mobile robot to establish robotic system requirements for HAZMAT operations.

FY92 Major redesign of commercial system to enable operation in combustible atmospheres.

FY93 Integration and testing of redesigned system.

FY94 Increase operator feedback with addition of graphical display of system and sensor data and initial field deployment.

FY95 Increase mission range and mobility by replacing 100m tether with RF link as well as automate sub-tasks such as tool retrieval and storage to reduce demands on operator.

Note: In mid FY 1995, this task was incorporated into the Remote Geologist task.

Point of Contact:
Rick Welch
(818) 354-7084
welch@telerobotics.jpl.nasa.gov

Robotics Tile Processing System

Ground processing of space vehicles is slow, complex and expensive. Telerobotic methods applied to ground processing tasks offer potential to reduce turnaround times and increase quality and safety. For this task, a mobile positioner is being developed by the Kennedy Space Center, in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), SRI, Langley Research Center, and Rockwell International. The task will demonstrate the ability of a semi-autonomous robotic vehicle to inspect surfaces of STS thermal protection tiles for chips and dents, automatically log inspection information into the tile data bases, and rewaterproof lower surface tiles, as well as provide a reconfigurable/ expandable system that could perform cavity and gap digitization, non-contact bond verification, and surface contour measurement. These processes are extremely labor intensive under the current manual approach. Introduction of robotics at KSC could make a significant difference in overall operational efficiency.

Focus and Directions:

FY93 To design, fabricate, assemble, and test the RTPS subsystems. Perform demonstrations of the individual subsystems and work the ICD and integration issues.

FY94 Assemble vision system and rewaterproofing tool on tool plate and perform integration testing. Assemble RTPS subsystems into prototype RTPS, test and calibrate the robot. Complete RTPS high level controller software at KSC for final acceptance testing at CMU. Perform functional verification testing on prototype and turnover prototype to KSC. Conduct demonstrations with the prototype RTPS and initiate certification process.

FY95 Start certification process at KSC using Orbiter Simulator Tile Array. Harden and debug robot subsystems and complete all software. Qualification test RTPS and complete Operations and Maintenance Documentation required for system turnover. Turnover RTPS to KSC operations.

Point of Contact:
Todd Graham
(407) 867-7890
todd.graham@ksc.nasa.gov