Navigation method of space robot pushing walls

摘要

A navigation method wherein a space robot pushes a wall is proposed. ^This method is commonly used by astronauts during intravehicular activity (IVA). ^In the case of the extravehicular activity (EVA) of space robots, the method can be applied by pushing, for example, the trusses of a space station instead of a wall. ^The proposed method does not require the use of thrusters, so that efficient navigation is realized. ^Experiments using a flat table and a drop shaft are described. ^Moreover, we note that a water pool, an environment that is considerably different from a microgravity field, is effective for training astronauts so that they can carry out actual activities in the microgravity field. ^Therefore, a common control method which can be used both underwater and in microgravity is adopted. ^So rather than a computational model of the robot, we use relationships between motions and sensory changes and neural network techniques. ^(Author)