Space robotics: automata in unstructured environments

The problems associated with the development of robots for space applications are reviewed. Within the Space Station project context, robots will operate in a relatively unstructured environment and must have the ability to deal with unexpected events. For this to be possible, a great deal of experimentation is required to determine the best algorithms for task decomposition, world modeling, and sensory processing to be able to predict their utility for particular tasks. An architecture which supports the evolutionary development of the robot is presented. The architecture forms the basis for a testbed system which allows researchers to develop, test, and evaluate different hardware and software approaches. The same architecture is also used in the telerobot, so that the transition from the teleoperated mode to more autonomous modes of robot operation is one of gradual rather than abrupt change. This architecture, the NASA/NBS standard reference model for telerobot control systems, has been adopted by NASA for the Flight Telerobotic Servicer, a two-armed robot intended to help build and maintain the Space Station