| | |
Summary: ABSTRACT
The next generation of pressure suits must enable
large-scale planetary Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA).
Astronauts exploring the moon and Mars will be
required to walk many kilometers, carry large loads,
perform intricate experiments, and extract geological
samples. Advanced pressure suit architectures must
be developed to allow astronauts to perform these
and other tasks simply and effectively. The research
developed here demonstrates integration of robotics
technology into pressure suit design. The concept of a
robotically augmented pressure suit for planetary
exploration has been developed through the use of
analytical and experimental investigations. Two
unique torso configurations are examined, including a
Soft/Hard Upper Torso with individually adjustable
bearings, as well as advances in Morphing Upper
Torso research, in which an all-soft torso is analyzed
as a system of interconnected parallel manipulators.
The forward kinematics of the systems are developed,
|
