Autonomous Reconfigurable Space Robot design shuns modular approach

Robots have diverse uses in the field of Space Research but until date only the ones that support a modular design and need a docking station to reconfigure have been developed. A new design might shun the use of modular joints as it proposes a more futuristic approach to developing robots that need to make those autonomous adjustments. Farhad Aghili of the Canadian Space Agency in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, and Kourosh Parsa of ESAB Cutting Systems in Florence, South Carolina have together designed a Robot capable of autonomously changing its configuration such as lengthening and twisting its arms.

autonomous reconfigurable space robot design

This robot uses cylindrical passive joints that use actuators or sensors embedded between the telescopic arms. It needs to constrain the motion at the end of its arm to facilitate reconfiguration. For that, the robot can either grasp a fixed point or two of such robots can get hold of the same object forming a closed chain. It is here that the brake mechanism on the passive joints is released by activating a solenoid. The moment the desired configuration is achieved, the joint brakes get automatically locked.

The greatest advantage of this technology is the reduction of overall weight in comparison to the modular designed robots. This reduced weight could in turn reduce the launch cost as instead of a number of robots, only a couple of them could manage the tasks in space.

Via: Physorg