Assessment of Potential Robotic Applications to Naval Aviation Operations and Support. ASTR (Advanced Support Technologies/Robotics)

摘要

After a comprehensive review of industrial robotics, a comparison of Navy and industry unique requirements and a definitive assessment of potential naval aviation applications, it was concluded that: (1) Few, if any present industrial robotic systems are directly applicable to naval aviation needs, particularly in the at-sea environment; (2) Significant adverse reaction to and misunderstanding of, the term 'robot' exist within the fleet and 'blue collar' civil service; (3) Evaluation of robotic applications results in the recognition of a basic robotic concept - the elimination and/or enhancement of the 'human transfer function' or presence in applications that are manpower-intensive, dangerous or inhospitable to the human presence, or otherwise basically inefficient due to human limitations; (4) There is high potential for the robotic concept (above) to improve naval aviation manpower application and efficiency as well as overall operational effectiveness; (5) The robotic concept has been and is being well applied within the NARF's as a result of both internal and NAVAIR initiatives; (6) Combat/operational 'robotic' efforts and concepts are numerous but not open for inclusion in a generalized 'robotics program'; (7) Due to definitive differences in 'robotic' systems as applied to naval aviation operations and support and classical industrial robots, a need exists for the development and maintenance of a robotic (as advanced support technologies) 'technology base' for the ultimate design of Navy-applicable systems for the elimination and/or enhancement of the human transfer function.