Multisensory shared autonomoy and tele-sensor-programming - Key issues in space robotics

Abstract

The long-term goal of our robotics activities has always been based on the idea of relieving man from inhuman and dangerous tasks. While in the early years of robotics our main focus of interest has been restricted to designing robot sensors (and sensor-based man-machine interfaces) and closing smart sensory feedback loops, in the last year the activities have widened up considerably. Presently the general goal is the design of a new generation of multisensory light-weight robots for space applications which are operable by astronauts as well as from groundstations, based on powerful telerobotic concepts and man-machine-interfaces. This goal is characterized by a high degree of interdisciplinarity and consists of a few major task areas a) mechatronics (sensory and actuator developments), b) telerobotics (remote control concepts for space robots), c) learning (and self-improvement).