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Robotic Technologies in Space Applications Peter Hubinský Robotic technologies in space applications Peter Hubinský Space for Education, Education for Space ESA Contract No. 4000117400/16NL/NDe Specialized lectures Robotic technologies in space applications Space for Education, Education for Space Robotic technologies in space applications • Teleoperated and semi-autonomous devices • Motion on the ground - wheeled chassis - tracked chassis - legged robots - special kind of motion • Motion on the water surface and under it • Motion in atmosphere • Motion in cosmic space Robotic technologies in space applications 2 Space for Education, Education for Space Robot scheme Energy Robot Actuators Control HMI system Environment Sensors Robotic technologies in space applications Space for Education, Education for Space Detailed robot scheme Control system goal Actuation system C task and plans plan effectors solver realization model of Environment environment O R notification C perception and information receptors cognition processing Sensor system R - reflex loop O - operation loop C - cognitive loop Robotic technologies in space applications Space for Education, Education for Space Autonomy of robotic devices Teleoperated device: it is controlled by the operator that uses the implementation of feedback from sensors placed on the device, this is typically outside his supervision - robots on the Moon. Directional radio transmission of signals is used. Problem with time delay! Energy Radio (optical) transmission Actuation system Control HMI system Environment Sensor system Information from sensors of Information from sensors local controlled variables replacing human remote senses (camera-vision) Robotic technologies in space applications Space for Education, Education for Space Autonomy of robotic devices Partially autonomous control (with supervision - a supervisory control) to meet the specified goal will require planned or unplanned interventions operator – Mars rover control. Energy Commands Actuator system Control HMI system Environment Sensor system Notifications + remote sensors information Information from sensors All sensor information replacing human remote senses (camera-vision) Robotic technologies in space applications Space for Education, Education for Space Problems with radio transmission - increased attenuation in specific environments (fog, clouds, sea water, ionized air during the fire/storm...) - interference from other sources of radio signal (GSM, 3G networks, LTE networks, WiFi, Meteoradar, military technology, earthly storms, solar activity, cosmic radiation sources ...). - signal delay of the limited speed of light (delay = 2 d / c). Notable in the spacecraft, but also relevant in the case of retransmission via geostationary satellites (35,786 km from the earth's surface). The Moon is from Earth on average 384,400 kilometers (lag back and forth about 2.5 sec.), The distance of Mars varies from 54.6 to 401 million km (6-45 minutes), depending on their relative positions - shift of the carrier frequency at high speed distancing transceiver will Doppler effect (the robot moves away from the base frequency of the RF signal decreases and vice versa) - the need for line of sight between the receiver and the transmitter at high frequencies and need to ensure the directional antenna with appropriate swiveling of the two degrees of freedom (azimuth and elevation) - specific problems associated with space probes include: * the rotation of the Earth (multiple antennas distributed throughout the Earth needed) * rotation of the body, where the robot is operating or occultation by this body, around which it revolves (addresses the retransmission through other space probe(s) nearby and/or the transition to the autonomous mode during the loss of the connection) * the conjunction of the Sun (line connecting the probe - the Earth passes close to the Sun, which is a powerful source of radio interference) * lost of contact during braking in the atmosphere of planet with own atmosphere (about the probe creates a plasma) * in some maneuvers should probe head off its main parabolic antenna from Earth direction and later on to re-direct it back to Earth ... Robotic technologies in space applications Space for Education, Education for Space Problems with radio transmission Robotic technologies in space applications 8 Space for Education, Education for Space Problems with radio transmission 34 and 70 m parabolas Goldstone (Californa, USA) Record connection – space probe Voyager 1: TX power 23 W, distance approx. 20 billion km (134 AU) – time delay 37 hrs. Robotic technologies in space applications Space for Education, Education for Space Optical transmission Optical connection with Moon probe LADEE: 600 Mbps downlink, 20 Mbps uplink Robotic technologies in space applications Space for Education, Education for Space Source of energy - primary electrochemical cells - (primary) radioisotope thermoelectric generator - (secondary) accumulators saving energy from photovoltaic panels or other renewable energy source (wind, temperature gradient of soil etc.) available in the location of mission Robotic technologies in space applications 11 Space for Education, Education for Space Robotic space probes Cassini Juno Robotic technologies in space applications 12 Space for Education, Education for Space Robotic space probes Steerable instrument platform of Voyager probe Robotic technologies in space applications 13 Space for Education, Education for Space Static robot landers Venera lander Viking lander Robotic technologies in space applications 14 Space for Education, Education for Space Static robot landers Phoenix lander Philae lander Robotic technologies in space applications 15 Space for Education, Education for Space Instrumental equipment of robot landers - panoramic/microscopic imaging system - meteorology instruments - measurement of vibrations and sound - spectrometers - gas/liquid (when any…) chemical analyser - instruments for exploring physical characteristics of the soil - biochemical lab - … Robotic technologies in space applications 16 Space for Education, Education for Space Mobile robotic landers Mobile robotic lander – teleoperated or autonomous device, which has the base able to move in 3 or more degrees of freedom Robotic technologies in space applications 17 Space for Education, Education for Space Motion on the ground - wheeled chassis: Segway, tricycle, car-like structure (static stability requires 3 or more wheels, for 4 and more wheels it’s necessary to apply the suspension system). While the center of gravity is under the axis connecting the two wheels, such system has ensured static stability, too !!! - tracked: 2 tracks, 2 main tracks with auxiliary tracks, multistage constructions - walking (legged): 2 legs, 4 legs, 6 legs, more legs (statically stable motion is requiring 4+ legs) - hybrid constructions (wheels+tracks, wheels+legs, roller blades...) - sliding motion (snake or caterpillar) - other types of motion (gyroscopic rolling, jumping, “soft robot”, climbing...) - hovercraft (amphibian) Robotic technologies in space applications 18 Space for Education, Education for Space Motion on the water surface and under the surface robotic boats – driven by motor or sail robotic submarines robotic fish or water snake – eel robotic crab for the work on the sea bed robotic amoeba or medusa seaglider Motion in the air lighter than air: vacuum/helium/hot-air free/captive balloon, airship heavier than air: (a) flying dragon (kite) (b) controlled parachute (c) airplane (glider, propeller, jet) (d) helicopter (1 rotor, 2/3/4/6/8 rotors) (e) ornitopthera (robotic bird) (f) entompthera (robotic dragonfly) Motion in cosmic space reactive drive (pressed gas, chemical fuel, ionic engine, atomic engine), solar sail ship or combination of previous ones Combined motion in various surroundings (robot - amphibian) hovercraft, hydroplanes and combinations of the boat and the ground vehicle Robotic technologies in space applications 19 Space for Education, Education for Space Wheeled mobile robots Types of wheels: a) standard wheel – passive, driving, steering or both b) castor/caster wheel (swivel wheel) – mostly passive (supporting) c) spherical wheel - not convenient for planetary research d) omni-directional wheel - not convenient for planetary research a b c d Robotic technologies in space applications 20 Space for Education, Education for Space Standard wheel variants Sojourner, Opportunity and Curiosity Lunochod Robotic technologies in space applications 21 Space for Education, Education for Space Commonly used structures of wheeled chassis 1 wheel: monocycle driving wheel 2 wheels: bicycle, Segway or dicycle – differential drive passive wheel steering wheel 3 wheels: tricycle with differential drive and single supporting wheel tricycle with rear-wheel drive and steering in front tricycle with the front-wheel drive and steering tricycle with synchronous drive Robotic technologies in space applications 22 Space for Education, Education for Space Commonly used structures of wheeled chassis 4 wheels: Ackerman chassis with rear-wheel or front-wheel drive differential wheel with 2+2 driving or 2 driving and 2 supporting wheels synchronous swerve drive drive (universal chassis) Robotic technologies in space applications 23 Space for Education, Education for Space Commonly used structures of wheeled chassis Increasing of total number of wheels – improving the carrying capacity and terrain crossing ability Increasing of number of driving wheels: Ackerman chassis with 4 driven wheels (4WD/AWD
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