An Astronaut 'Bio-Suit' System: Exploration-Class Missions
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An Astronaut ‘Bio-Suit’ System: Exploration-Class Missions Professor Dava J. Newman, Ph.D.*+ Professor Jeff Hoffman* Kristen Bethke*, Joaquin Blaya+, Christopher Carr*+, and Bradley Pitts* *MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics +Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology MIDÉ Technologies, TAI 6 November 2003 Image, © Michael Light, Full Moon IndustryIndustry PartnersPartners Trotti & Associates, Inc. (TAI) TAI is a design consulting firm helping private and public organizations visualize and develop solutions for new products, and technologies in Midé Technology Corporation the areas of Architecture, is a R&D company that Industrial Design, and develops, produces, and Aerospace Systems. markets High Performance Piezo Actuators, Software, and Award-winning designs for: Smart (Active) Materials Space Station, South Pole Systems; primarily for the Station, underwater habitats, aerospace, automotive and ecotourism. manufacturing industries. Phase I partner. Advisory Board Dr. Chris McKay, expert in astrobiology, of NASA ARC. Dr. John Grunsfeld, NASA Chief Scientist, astronaut. Dr. Cady Coleman, NASA astronaut. Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut. OOverviewverview • Space Exploration • Performance • Design Concepts • Systems Approach SSppacacee SSuuitit DDeessigignn:: MoMotivtivatioationn • Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) – Designed for weightlessness – Pressurized suit (29 kPa, 4.3 psi) – Life support system (O2, CO2, etc.) – 2 pieces: pants, arms & hard upper torso – Donning and doffing are highly involved – Adequate mobility for ISS – NOT a locomotion/exploration suit • Number of EVAs (1965-2000) – 600-surface-day mission Space Suit Design: Methods Analyze Past Performance • Metabolic Cost, Voice Communications, Tool Usage • Understand limitations (physical, cognitive, environmental., ops.) New Solutions • Information Management: Wearable Computing, Planning, “Biosuit” Geologic Tools [Carr, Schwartz, Newman, 2001] • Skills-based training vs. task-based • Metabolic Cost Model Mark III: Field geology in the Mojave Desert Advance Concepts 59kg suit + 15 30kg suit 12 kg suit Mechanical kg life support Counter- 26.2 kPa/3.8 psi 26.2 kPa/3.8 psi 57.2 kPa/8.2 psi Pressure? BackgroundBackground andand ContributionsContributions Space Suit Mobility Performance & Bio-Suit Concepts Modeling Iberall, 1964 Biomechanics & Mechanical Counter Energetics Pressure Suits Newman et al., 1993, Webb, 1967 1994, 1996 Dionne, 1991 Clapp, 1983 Abramov, 1994 Modeling Tourbier, 2001 Menendez, 1994 Iberall, 1970 Korona, 2002 Rahn, 1997; Schmidt, Eiken, 2002 Human Subjects 2001; Carr, 2001 Pitts, Newman et al., 2001 Morgan et al., 1996 Enhanced Newman et al., 2000 Performance Schmidt et al., 2001 Blaya, Newman, 2003 SSppaaccee EExxpploloraratiotionn (e.g.,(e.g., ffieieldld ggeeoolologgyy)) • Look to future (1) Mobility and (2) Performance • Understand exploration techniques • Learn from past expeditions Present Day Lunar Field Pat Rawlings (NASA) Field Geology Geology, Past Lewis and Clark & Future © Michael Light, Full Moon MissionMission andand TraverseTraverse PlanningPlanning (1) Inputs (2) Traverse Evaluation (3) Outputs and Metrics [Carr, Newman, Hodges 2003] Automation in the planning process? Method (1) Terrain Model, Spatial and Temporal Characteristics; Sun Geometry (2) Predictive and parametric analysis including automated validation of ‘mission rules’. Results (3) Outputs and Metrics: Traverse model, slope statistics, accessibility, visibility, energy consumption, low-energy direction of travel, and sun-relative angles and sun-score. PlanetaryPlanetary ExplorationExploration ExamExampleple Example: Apollo 14 2nd EVA Visibility problems with the planned traverse. Actual traverse, astronauts failed to find Cone Crater, geology stations C’ and C1 Modify traverse improves access and visibility of cone crater Provides better situational awareness (lunar module visibility) and reduced sun score Estimate energy consumption within ~10% of Apollo estimates Visibility from Lunar Module …from Geology Station C’ …from Geology Station C1 …from modified Geology station [Carr, Newman, Hodges 2003] PerformancePerformance Augmented Human Performance • Problem: Drop foot, pathology • Causes: Stroke, Cerebral Palsy (CP), Active Ankle Foot Orthosis Multiple Sclerosis (MS) • Major complications - Slap foot after heel strike - Toe drag during swing • Design: Polypropylene AFO • Sensors – Potentiometer: Ankle Angle – 6 Capacitive Force Sensors • Ground Reaction Force • Series Elastic Actuator (SEA) – Suited for human-like tasks • Low impedance • High Power Density • Filters noise and backlash ImpedanceImpedance Control:Control: DropDrop FootFoot Contact 1: Adaptive biomimetic1 torsional spring to minimize slap Contact 2: Minimized impedance Swing: Adaptive biomimetic2 torsional spring-damper to lift foot for toe clearance 1. M. Palmer, “Sagittal Plane Characterization of Normal Human Ankle Function Across a Range of Walking Gait Speeds,” in Mechanical Engineering. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002 2. J. B. Blaya, “Force Controllable Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO) to Assist Drop Foot Gait,” in Mechanical Engineering. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002. SSuummmmaaryry:: AAuuggmmeenntetedd PPeerforformrmaannccee Engineering methodology: variable-impedance control - Slap foot was reduced - Swing was more biologically realistic Design Goal: modulate joint impedance to gait phase and speed Unlike current devices, variable-impedance control adapts to user 1. Step-to-step variations due to speed changes 2. Long-term changes due to rehabilitation Personal and subjective benefits DesignDesign ConceptsConcepts • Mechanical Counter Pressure (MCP) SpaceSpace ActivityActivity SuitSuit Accomplishments: - Up to 22.7 kPa (3.3 psi, 170 mmHg) over entire body - Greater mobility - Lower energy cost - Simplified life support Areas for Improvement: - Don/Doff time and difficulty - Edema and blood pooling due to pressure variations Webb 1971 SSAASS:: AA CClolosseerr LLooookk PressurePressure SkinSkin RequirementsRequirements Physiological Requirements * – Partial pressure O2 > 20.0kPa (2.9psi, 150mmHg) – Body surface pressure = breathing pressure suit S dA Mobility Requirements body – Constant volume design • Small separation between suit and body Æ Mechanical Counterpressure dv = S dA – Thin materials – Conflicting requirements T = pr Pressure produces tension and vice versa. p = T/r Webb, 1967, 1971 MCPMCP Don/DoffingDon/Doffing • SAS body surface pressure was created by strain energy of material • Work must be done in order to store this energy The SAS was very hard to get into! • Energy (or tension) could be created AFTER donning is complete by: Shrinking garment OR “Enlarging” body Cam Brensinger for TAI CreatingCreating MMCP:CP: ChannelChannel DesignDesign •Pressurized channel pulls tension once the suit is donned and pressurized. •Skin-tight, inelastic garment minimizes the volume of the suit and transmits tension. •How can an inelastic garment allow mobility? •Requirement on E? ‘Bio-Suit‘Bio-Suit’’ Concepts:Concepts: DesignDesign TTradesrades RevolutionaryRevolutionary Design:Design: Bio-SuitBio-Suit Mechanical Counter Pressure (MCP) – Skin suit cf. pressure vessel – Greater flexibility, dexterity – Lightweight – Easy donning and doffing: {clothing vs. strapping on spacecraft (ISS suits)} Electro-Mechanical assistance – Augments astronaut’s capabilities – Decreases the effects of microgravity deconditioning – Assisted locomotion 1G (AAFO) SuitSuit ComponentsComponents Bio-Suit multiple components: – The MCP bio-suit layer – A pressurized helmet – Gloves and boots – A hard torso shell – A life support backpack Components are simple, interchangeable, and easy to maintain and repair Idea: Custom-fit skin suit to an individual human/digital model DW = DWp + DWe DWp - Minimize through design DWe - Bending (design) and Strain Energy (min. or max E) PProrodduucciningg MCMCPP • Active Materials – Piezoelectrics • Small-scale actuators, NOT applicable to bio-suit – “Smart” polymer gels • Expand with body heat, voltage, or pH • Thermal layer promise – Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) • Voltage toggles shape between two states: expanded and contracted • TiNi, Nitonol (titanium nickel) – Human force levels – Not entire suit (mesh), promise for hybrid concepts ActiveActive MaterialsMaterials DatabaseDatabase • “New” field of active materials – many competing systems types • Designers need method of easily comparing various materials and impact on system design • Mass, Volume, Cost; Energy (Power); Performance • Realistic operating environment MMaterialaterial ComComparisonparison • Stress, Strain, and Bandwidth (log scale) (MPa) Stress (Hz) Frequency Strain (%) SystemSystemss LevelLevel ImImpactpact • Certain active materials may look attractive when considering raw material energy density or basic actuator bandwidth. • However, true material comparisons can only be made upon considering entire system: – Material energy density – Coupling efficiencies – Cost, weight, and efficiency of power electronics. • For example, SMAs have tremendous energy density but very poor electrical efficiency. PaintPaint ItIt OOnn oror ShrinkShrink WWraprap • Electrospinlacing provides seamless MCP layer. – Multi-filament fiber projected via electric charge onto grounded surface – Greatly improved tactile feedback – Custom, form fit – Seamless integration of wearable computing • Melt Blowing – Blowing liquefied polymer onto surfaces • Melt Spinning –