Study Robot For Human

The International Space Station (ISS), currently under construction in Earth orbit, will have several robots to help astronauts complete their tasks in space. Five of the ISS international partner nations are developing robotic systems for the station. Japan is developing the JEM Remote Manipulator System. The European Space Agency and the Russian Space Agency are developing the European Robotic Arm. Canada and the United States are developing the Mobile Servicing System (MSS). Detailed information on each of these systems can be obtained at the website listed below.


Mobile Servicing SystemThe most complex robotic system on the ISS is the MSS. It consists of the Space Station Remote
Manipulator System (SSRMS), the Mobile Remote Servicer Base System (MBS), the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), and the Mobile Transporter (MT). The MSS will be controlled by an astronaut working at one of two Robotics Work Stations inside the ISS.

The primary functions of the MSS robotic system on the ISS are to:
• assist in the assembly of the main elements of the station (e.g. aligning newly delivered modules to the structure)
• handle large payloads
• replace orbital replacement units (plug-in equipment designed to be periodically replaced with newer units)
• support astronauts during extravehicular activities
• assist in station maintenance
• provide transportation around the station


The main component of the MSS is the 17-meterlong SSRMS robot arm. It is similar to the Shuttle RMS but will ride from one end of the station to the other on the mobile transporter, which will glide along the giant truss beam. After arriving at a worksite, the arm will grasp payloads, modules, or other structures with its wire snare end effector. If a work location is too distant for the arm to reach while still attached to the transporter, the arm can connect to an intermediate grapple fixture. Electrical power will be rerouted through that fixture. The SSRMS will then release its other end and “inchworm” itself through successive fixtures until it reaches the desired site. The SSRMS is also able to pick up and connect to the SPDM. This unit consists of a pair of 3.5-meter, 7-joint arms connected to a single joint base. The SPDM can pick up small tools for repair or servicing activities or effect delicate manipulations of smaller objects than the SSRMS can handle.


The Future
Advanced robotic systems are under development for use on the ISS. The ISS provides an exceptional laboratory for testing new robots such as NASA’s Robonaut. Robonaut will feature end effectors based on the human hand and will be capable of handling detailed and complex tasks. It will interface with the MSS and serve as a spacewalker’s assistant or surrogate for tasks too dangerous for humans. When astronauts return to Earth’s Moon and set foot on Mars, they will not be alone. Robots will be there as assistants and partners in the exploration of space. Robotic research and application on the ISS will lead the way for the advanced intelligent robotic systems of the future.


Objectives:
• Students will learn how the end effectors for the robotic arms used on the Space Shuttle and the
International Space Station work.
• Students will design and construct a grapple fixture that will enable the end effector to pick up an object.


National Standards:
Science Content
• Abilities of technological design


Technology Education Content
8. Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of design
9. Students will develop an understanding of engineering design
10. Students will develop an understanding of the role of troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and experimentation in problem solving
11. Students will develop abilities to apply the design process


Teaching Plan:
In this activity, students can work singly or in small groups of two or three. Have students use a sawing motion to cut through the cups. It is easier to cut through the outer cup first and then the inner cup.The important part about cutting the two cups is that their cut-off ends lie flushwith each other when the cups are nested. Use the knives as scrapers to smooth the cut edges.


Upon completing the end effector, have your students design a grapple fixture. The idea here is to design something that the end effector can grab onto without slipping off. After grapple fixtures are completed, tell students to compare their fixture to those created by two other students or groups. Ask them to create a table or a chart comparing the strong and weak points of the fixtures they evaluated. They should summarize their results with a statement about how they can improve the fixture they designed.